Getty Dez Bryant #88 of the Dallas Cowboys sits on the bench in the second half of a football game against the Los Angeles Chargers at AT&T Stadium on November 23, 2017 in Arlington, Texas.
From one fellow NFL free agent to another, Dez Bryant is really hoping Antonio Brown finds his way back to being the special wide receiver who has dominated the league over the past several seasons.
The former Dallas Cowboys star called him Brown late Saturday on Twitter, retweeting the latest rant from the disgruntled wideout who has been on the outs with the league since the New England Patriots cut him on Sept 20 amid allegations of sexual misconduct.
Brown had been spouting off about “all the lames” who were telling him how to handle his life, which prompted Bryant to encourage him to “take this break and reflect and enjoy life” as well as lay some honest advice on him, as you can see in his own words below.
Brown’s turbulent saga began several months after he was traded from Pittsburgh Steelers to the Oakland Raiders last offseason and made the highest-paid receiver in the league. Once training camp started in August, it took him only about a month for his off-the-field issues — from frostbite to helmet grievances to shouting matches with the general manager — to compound and culminate in him demanding his release.
After his release, Brown jumped on board with the Patriots and signed a sizeable contract that seemed to finally settle the waters. It was short-lived, though, as allegations of sexual misconduct piled up and eventually forced the Patriots to cut ties with Brown. The NFL also opened a probe into the alleged incidents after a lawsuit was filed against him that remains ongoing; though, as ESPN reported, he filed a countersuit for defamation.
Brown has caught for more than 11,000 receiving yards and 75 touchdowns in his decorated career since coming into the league in 2010. He was named a First-Team All-Pro in four consecutive seasons and has been a member of each of the last seven Pro Bowl teams.
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Teams Remain Interested in Brown
Before Brown can have a reasonable path back to the NFL, he must first be cleared of wrongdoing in the ongoing lawsuit. Any verified truth in the allegations and the league would be right to shut the door on his career, no matter what his talent.
Should that happen, though, a recent article from Bleacher Report suggests more than half of the teams would be interested in the controversial wide receiver, including every playoff contender except for the Patriots for obvious reasons. Brown is seen as a transformative talent, according to a trio of anonymous general managers cited in the B/R piece, but owners are worried about his troublesome behavior persisting if he is given another chance.
While claiming he would never play in the NFL again back in September, Brown has seemed apologetic in his multiple public statements over the past few weeks. He has even garnered the support of former peers and teammates, including Tom Brady, in his pursuit of redemption. The only question now other than does Brown deserves another chance is will actually be able to stay in his repentant state of mind if it arrives.
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