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Antonio Brown Continues To Shed Light On Damaged Relationship With Bruce Arians

According to a report, the animosity between Antonio Brown and the Buccaneers started long before his tantrum during the Jets game Sunday

TAMPA, FL - NOV 05: Newly signed wide receiver Antonio Brown (81) of the Bucs during the Tampa Bay Buccaneers warm up period before the start of practice on November 05, 2020 at the AdventHealth Training Center in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire)

It’s safe to say that Antonio Brown won’t have former coach, Bruce Arians, on his Christmas card list this year.

After some controversy into what transpired beforehand, AB had an eventful end on Arians’ Buccaneers when he ripped off his jersey and ran off the field in the middle of the Jets game.

Since, Antonio Brown has said that he was being forced to play despite injury. And Bruce Arians claimed AB was more miffed because he wasn’t getting the targets he wanted.

When talking on The Pivot Podcast Antonio Brown said his rift with Bruce Arians goes all the way back to their days together with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“[Ryan Clark] and I know how Arians used to treat me,” Brown said, via ProFootballTalk. “You and I know that Bruce Arians said that A.B. isn’t smart enough to play the ‘X’ position. You and I know that Ben Roethlisberger had to say enough is enough and tell Bruce Arians that we have to play this guy. The public doesn’t know that.”

Antonio Brown would go on to shed some light on the falling out with Bruce Arians during the Buccaneers tenure.

Bruce Arians has to respect me as a player,” Brown added. “I’m in the middle of a game, how you gonna tell me get the ‘F’ out of here? You know how it is in a game with testosterone and how you act on game day. You probably would have slapped him. If I can’t play, I can’t play. It’s a deltoid ligament. . . . I have to have surgery in the next couple weeks. . . . I know I make football look easy and I know I could run 17 or 18 miles per hour, which is not normal with a hurt ankle, but I can’t do that over the course of a year. I’ll kill myself. I don’t have no mental health problem. I’m just about respect. I stand on principle.”

When speaking on the Antonio Brown situation recently, Bruce Arians opted to take the high road.

“Nobody works any harder than [Antonio Brown],” Arians said. “He’s always in great shape, skill-set’s unbelievable. He’s one of those guys that doesn’t age.”

Now, AB has set his sights on joining Lamar Jackson and the Ravens next season. But so far, the team hasn’t started negotiations with the troubled receiver. And as for Bruce Arians, he’ll be looking for a quarterback to replace the GOAT, Tom Brady following their two seasons together.


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