Antonio Brown is arguably the best receiver in the NFL and is inarguably in the top five discussion along with Julio Jones, Odell Beckham Jr., DeAndre Hopkins, and Michael Thomas.
But Brown seems to be a wild card over-the-top personality that can be a distraction on and off the field. Ego does that to people.
And now Oakland Raiders receiver Antonio Brown is threatening to retire for this insane ludicrous reason.
Antonio Brown did not have a healthy farewell from the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was actually a big catastrophe and Steelers fans were quick to say “don’t let the door hit you on the way out.”
It began at the end of the 2018 regular season when the star receiver didn’t show up to practices and then-coach Mike Tomlin decided not to play him because he missed meetings. The details are convoluted but it was clear immediately that each party wanted to get rid of each other.
The Oakland Raiders traded a third and fifth-round pick for Brown, stoking coach Jon Gruden into thinking he had a legit number one receiver to help quarterback Derek Carr moving forward.
But they might not have a number one receiver anymore because apparently, Antonio Brown is threatening to retire due to the NFL’s new helmet rule. Brown has had the same helmet for the last ten years (his whole professional career) and the league declared it as “inadequate,” forcing him to get a new one.
Brown claims the new helmet obstructs his view because there are protruding pieces that affect his peripheral. The star wide receiver informed the Oakland Raiders that he would retire if he wouldn’t be allowed to use his old helmet – giving up over $50 million.
But he had a two-hour conference call with an independent arbitrator about his grievance.
The Raiders have been sending Brown other approved helmets to wear, but at this time, he is not interested in wearing any of them.
Brown appeared to refer to an internal debate about walking away from football by posting Friday an Instagram caption paraphrasing the 2002 movie “Paid In Full.
League sources also told ESPN that Brown’s recent absence from Raiders training camp has more to do with his helmet than with his feet. He suffered extreme frostbite on his feet as a result of not wearing appropriate footwear when he entered a cryotherapy chamber last month in France, a source told ESPN.
But would Brown really retire over a helmet?
It seems a little too absurd to give up that kind of money because a helmet affects your vision. Isn’t he supposed to be one of the best receivers in the NFL? He should have eyes in the back of his head with that kind of money, right?
Or, this could all be a power play or leveraging tactic.
Brown might narcissistically think that he’s too much of a star to lose in the NFL and if he threatens to retire then he might actually get what he wants. The penalty for wearing his old helmet is a penalty not just on him, but on the team as well. It may result in a fine or maybe a draft pick if it carries on the entire season.
Brown should just get over it and where the helmet if they can’t come to an agreement.