Getty Antonio Brown warms up before a game against the New York Jets.
Even one of the NFL’s most controversial figures is coming out against Antonio Brown.
Not long after the now-former Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver threw off his pads and walked off the field in a tantrum on Sunday, O.J. Simpson took to Twitter to share his thoughts and some harsh words for Brown. The former Buffalo Bills running back said there was no excuse for his actions, joining others from across the sports world in condemning what is almost assuredly Brown’s final act in the NFL.
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Simpson Calls out Brown’s Outburst
In a post shared on Twitter, Simpson called out Brown for his actions in Sunday’s game, especially after quarterback Tom Brady had vouched for him. It was Brady who reportedly pushed the New England Patriots to sign Brown after his controversial exit from the then-Oakland Raiders, then again advocated for the Buccaneers to sign him.
Simpson said the fact that Brady went out on a limb for him made Brown’s outburst that much worse.
“What Tom Brady has done for Antonio Brown, for him to pull what he pulled today is completely inexcusable,” he said. “Playoffs are coming up and you pull this crap on a guy who clearly went out on a limb for you. It’s totally B.S. Inexcusable.”
Inexcusable!!! #antoniobrown
Brown had just returned to the Buccaneers after serving a suspension for having a fake vaccine card when he abruptly left teammates during the Jets game, but Tampa coach Bruce Arians said he had no regrets about bringing him back to the team and wished Brown well.
“I have no regrets. I just hope the best for him,” Arians said Monday, via ESPN.
Brown’s exit was so abrupt that MetLife Stadium security reportedly feared that he was a shirtless streaker. Arians said afterward that he hopes Brown gets the help he needs.
“It was very hard,” Arians said. “I wish him well. If he needs help, I hope he gets some. It’s very hard. Because I do care about him.”
Others React to Brown’s Outburst
Simpson is not the only former member of the Bills to sound off on Brown’s outburst. Wide receiver Terrell Owens, who himself was no stranger to controversy throughout his career though had a drama-free season with the Bills, pushed back when one Twitter user compared him to Brown. The post asked people to vote on who was the bigger diva, Owens or Brown.
“Wow,” Owens replied. “Respectfully and Disrespectfully, there’s no comparison. Clearly you’ve been drinking the kool-aid.”
The incident also caught the attention of some of the Bills’ rivals as well. New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick spoke after his team’s win about the importance of focusing on mental health, explaining how the Patriots make sure the needs of players are met.
“Yeah, that’s important for all of us,” Belichick said, via Boston.com. “We have a number of people who are involved in one way or another in that area, certainly our medical staff, but there’s an awareness from other people in the organization, coaches and other staff members and so forth.
“Each one of us is different, each one of us is unique and we try to have a team structure and we have to work individually with guys as stuff comes up,” he continued. “We’ve had players last year, a situation where—look, there are multiple situations, but where things come up where we can be helpful, we try to do that.”
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