Antonio Brown is getting another chance in the NFL, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers put no guaranteed money in his contract, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Brown signed a one-year, $1.6 million contract with the Buccaneers which includes a $750,000 base salary, per Spotrac. This sounds like a typical contract for a veteran, but it is the way Brown’s deal is structured that is unique.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Brown earns $250,000 for every game where he is on the active roster. The Buccaneers were clearly trying to avoid a situation where they had a lot of sunk costs like the Patriots had in 2019 after they released the receiver. Brown also earns a sizable $750,000 bonus if the Buccaneers are able to win the Super Bowl, just one of several financial incentives the star receiver can hit.
“New Bucs WR Antonio Brown’s 1-year contract: $750K in prorated base salary $250K in per-game active bonuses Incentives (must make playoffs) $250K for 45+ catches $250K for 650+ receiving yards $250K for 6+ TDs $750K for Super Bowl win Base: $1 million. Max: $2.5 million,” Pelissero detailed on Twitter.
A.B. Earned $5.1 Million for Playing in 1 Game With the Patriots
According to Spotrac, Brown earned more than $5.1 million from the Patriots by playing in just one game before the team opted to release the receiver. Brown has earned more than $75.9 million over his 10 NFL seasons, including about $860,000 from the Raiders even though he never played in a regular-season game for the team.
Brown is not just on a year-to-year basis with the Buccaneers but Tampa is taking it game-by-game with the volatile receiver as the team has the opportunity to release the wideout without owing him any guaranteed money. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Brown’s contract has a max value of $2.5 million if the receiver hits every incentive in his deal with the Buccaneers.
“Antonio Brown’s one-year deal with Tampa has a max value of $2.5 million, per source,” Schefter tweeted. “It includes a $750,000 bonus for a Super Bowl win, and three $250,000 bonuses — one for receptions, one for yards and one for TDs. The remaining $1 million is in base salary and roster bonuses.”
Arians Described Brown as Being ‘All-In’ With the Buccaneers
Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians has been critical of Brown since their time together with the Steelers. Time will tell if the Buccaneers experiment with Brown will be successful, but even Arians is singing the receiver’s praises during his short time with the team.
“He wants to play,” Arians told ESPN. “If you want to play, you’ve got to do it. In our conversation today, it’s, ‘Go to football practice, go to work, come home and go back to work.’ He’s all-in. I don’t think we’ll have any problems with those things.”
Despite the Buccaneers public comments, it is hard to imagine Brown is in Tampa without Tom Brady. During his Westwood One radio show with Jim Gray, Brady discussed the opportunity to reunite with Brown.
“Certainly I’m happy for Antonio to get an opportunity to resume his career,” Brady noted, per Tampa Bay Times. “He’s put a lot of time and energy into working on a lot of things in his life, and I know he’s excited to play football. Everyone’s going to earn a role on our team, and I know that’s his mindset, too. I think the receiver position is really a position of strength on our offense, and how Antonio fits into that is going to be up to him and the role that he can create for himself.”
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Antonio Brown’s Contract: How Much Money Is A.B.’s Salary With Bucs?