Getty Antonio Brown celebrates a touchdown in the 2020 season.
Newly re-signed Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown can earn loads of incentives for his performance this fall besides a shot at another Super Bowl ring.
Upon Brown’s announced signing in April, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero reported that Brown can earn up to $6.25 million with the new one-year deal, including incentives. ESPN NFL insider Field Yates broke down how much Brown can earn after officially re-signing with the Bucs on Tuesday.
According to Yates, Brown will receive a $2 million signing bonus and make a base salary of $1.1 million, plus another $900,000 for per-game achievements. Brown will also make $333,333 for 50 receptions and $333,334 if he makes it to 70. He will earn $333,333 for 600 yards and $333,334 for 800 yards. He also gets $333,333 for five touchdowns and $333,3333 for seven touchdowns. With another Super Bowl win, Brown could earn another $250,000.
Antonio Brown’s deal
SB: $2M
Base: $1.1M
Per-gamers: $900K (with player/team improvement in certain stats)
Incentives:
* 50 rec: $333,333
* 70 rec: $333,334
* 600 yards: $333,333
* 800 yards: $333,334
* 5 TD: $333,333
* 7 TD: $333,333
* 45% PT & active for a Super Bowl win: $250K
It’s an increase from Brown’s $1.66 million contract for a half-season in 2020 with the Bucs that also paid incentives. Based on Pelissero’s report on Brown’s 2020 contract, Brown made plenty more last season, too.
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Doable Incentives Ahead for Brown Based on 2020 Performance
Brown has reachable incentives based on what he did in a half-season with the Bucs last year.
He signed as a free agent in October 2020 after being off the field for more than a year due to his off-field issues and an eight-game suspension in 2020 over NFL Personal Conduct Policy violations. In eight games with the Bucs, he caught 45 passes for 483 yards and four touchdowns.
Brown can start collecting incentives whether he hits 50 receptions, 600 yards, or five touchdowns in a 17-game season according to Yates. The four-time All-Pro could reach his highest performance incentives without doubling his half-season 2020 numbers. Those milestones are 70 receptions, 800 yards, and seven touchdowns per Yates. If Brown doubles his 2020 numbers, he will finish with 90 catches, 966 yards, and eight touchdowns.
A Long Wait Over
Brown had an offseason filled with uncertainty amid free agency and legal issues.
His biggest legal issue was resolved in a settlement for his civil lawsuit with former trainer Britney Taylor. He previously had a December 2021 trial date, and Taylor’s counsel planned to subpoena the Bucs and other teams Brown played for in the past two years.
Brown meanwhile remained unsigned as the Bucs re-signed all 22 starters from the Super Bowl team, though he made his desires known via Instagram. Bucs general manager Jason Licht said during an April press conference that the civil lawsuit didn’t force a delay.
“Well, it’s always good when there is some resolution, but we signed him last year with the civil case looming,” Licht said. “So, all I can go off of is what we saw of Antonio on our team this year. He obviously was a good player, but he was a great teammate. So, to have this resolved, it certainly helps, but that is not necessarily the deciding factor in whether or not we’re going to continue to talk.”
The waiting continued after Brown’s announced re-signing in late April — almost a whole month. Bucs head coach Bruce Arians confirmed last week that Brown needed his knee scoped and a passed physical to re-sign.
Once completed, Brown went on Instagram again to announce he was on his way to Tampa on Monday, the day before he re-signed.