Getty Wide Receiver Antonio Brown #17 of the New England Patriots celebrates after a catch against the Miami Dolphins during the first quarter in the game at Hard Rock Stadium on September 15, 2019 in Miami, Florida.
Antonio Brown’s release Friday afternoon marked the end the star receiver’s one-game tenure with the New England Patriots, less than two weeks after his dramatic saga saw him jettison from the Oakland Raiders.
Most recently coming under fire for allegedly sending a string of intimidating text messages, Brown caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady and finished with four receptions for 56 yards in his only performance for the team.
Statement from a #Patriots spokesperson: t.co/c98rNDX9QG
Brown’s one-off was not exactly a game-changer for the Patriots in their 43-0 road rout of the Miami Dolphins, but it was still strong enough of an outing to earn a place among franchise lore as the best-ever among pass-catchers who have played only a single game in a Patriots jersey.
Take a look at how Brown’s numbers break down against some of the other one-timers, including the only two in the bunch with chances to make more than one appearance.
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The Midwestern Legend of Jack Atchason
The first player ever from Western Illinois University to be drafted into the NFL floated between three teams in his lone year in the professional ranks, but Atchason flashed his first sign of production for the Boston Patriots during the 1960 season.
He caught two passes for 22 yards in a 13-0 loss to Buffalo, then found himself moving on to the Houston Oilers for a two-game stint. He caught three more passes over two more games, including one for a touchdown, before his NFL career ended after a single season.
Atchason’s 22-yard game for the Patriots outdoes the likes of Kellen Winslow (one catch, 12 yards) in 2012 and Clay Pickering (one catch, 10 yards) in 1987, while matching the current total of undrafted rookie Jakobi Meyers — who figures to have a bigger role with Brown out of the rotation.
Jakobi Meyers and Matt LaCosse Due for More
Two other names on the list with Brown as one-game players for the Patriots likely won’t stay on that list for long. Meyers is penciled into the second-string group of receivers behind Josh Gordon, Phillip Dorsett and Julian Edelman, but the rookie will almost certainly see more opportunities in Week 3 as the team again adjusts its passing plan.
Meanwhile, starting tight end Matt LaCosse is questionable for Sunday’s game after spending all week limited in practice with a nagging ankle injury. He caught two passes for 33 yards in his Patriots debut last week in Miami, coming off a season with the Denver Broncos where he racked up 24 receptions for 250 yards and a touchdown.
The Patriots are still searching for someone to replace the massive hole left behind by retired star Rob Gronkowski and now must replace what seemed to be a superstar addition in Brown as his dramatic saga continued. Edelman is still the most reliable target for Brady, but Gordon has an opportunity — yet another — to return at last to the success he experienced early in his stop-and-go career.
As for Antonio Brown himself, the saga of drama likely doesn’t end here.
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