Antonio Brown statement: Wide receiver accuses Bucs of covering up ankle injury
Shortly after his lawyer launched an announcement decrying the Bucs for pressuring him to play with an injury, Antonio Brown launched an announcement accusing the workforce of executing an “ongoing cover-up”, saying he was truly minimize from the Bucs earlier than leaving the sector in opposition to the Jets on Sunday.
Brown mentioned that he relented when pressured by a coach to play with an ankle injury, and was injected with what he describes as a “highly effective and generally harmful painkiller.” When the ache grew to become an excessive amount of and restricted his efficiency, Brown mentioned he exited the sport and sat on the sideline, the place he claims he was admonished by a coach to return to the sector.
“I instructed him, ‘It’s my ankle.’ However he knew that. It was well-documented and we had mentioned it,” Brown wrote. “He then ordered me to get on the sector. I mentioned, ‘Coach, I can’t.’ He didn’t name for medical consideration. As an alternative, he shouted at me, ’YOU’RE DONE!’ whereas he ran his finger throughout his throat. Coach was telling me that if I didn’t play damage, then I used to be performed with the Bucs.”
After the sport, Bucs coach Bruce Arians mentioned Brown made no point out of an injury earlier than leaving the sector, a declare that Brown mentioned Wednesday was “100% inaccurate.” Brown mentioned that, along with lacking a number of video games with the injury, he and Arians exchanged textual content messages earlier than the sport through which Arians acknowledged the injury, and that Bucs basic supervisor Jason Licht additionally was conscious.
Brown acknowledged whereas he was annoyed as he left the sector with the best way the sport was going, the remedy from the teaching employees is what in the end led to his determination.
“Sure, [I] walked off the sector. However there’s a significant distinction between launching from the road and taking hits, in comparison with jogging off the sector with a rush of feelings going by way of your thoughts,” Brown wrote. “I’m reflecting on my response, however there was a set off. The set off was somebody telling me that I’m not allowed to really feel ache. I acknowledge my previous. However my previous doesn’t make me a second class citizen. My previous doesn’t forfeit my proper to be heard when I’m in ache.”
In a separate assertion, Brown’s lawyer mentioned that the vast receiver underwent an MRI on Monday, which revealed bone and ligament harm that may require surgical procedure. He additionally denied that Brown’s actions had something to do with a psychological well being concern.
“I gave the Bucs every part I had on the sector. What the group is doing now must get cleaned up,” Brown mentioned. “I don’t perceive how folks publicly claiming to be involved about my psychological well being can do these items to me in personal.”
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