Getty The NFL continues to look into an October incident involving Antonio Brown.
It is challenging to find a lot of support for Antonio Brown, but Hall-of-Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe believes there is something fishy about the latest incident involving the newest Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver. According to the Miami Herald, Brown is being accused of smashing a security camera as part of an October tirade with the HOA where he lives in Hollywood. During FS1’s Undisputed, Sharpe expressed skepticism over the incident just reaching the news after Brown joined the Buccaneers.
“I could have done without this,” Sharpe explained. “I really could have. This information coming out about A.B. Not to say that he did or didn’t do it. The home owner’s association said that he did do it, but I want to know why is it getting out there now. What did they hope to accomplish? Was it a situation you are hoping to blackmail the guy and say, ‘Hey, I’m going to put this out there if they don’t give me some money.'”
Despite being critical of how the information came out, Sharpe still doubts Brown will be able to take advantage of his latest opportunity in Tampa. Undisputed co-host Skip Bayless asked Sharpe if he believes Brown will be able to make it through the season without another incident thanks to Tom Brady taking the receiver under his wing.
“I guess I would have more confidence in Tom [Brady] being able to keep him under control as opposed to A.B. doing the right thing,” Sharpe responded. “But I would say, if A.B. was on his own, there would be zero chance that he would be able to control him.”
As for Sharpe’s assertion of potential blackmail, there is no evidence to suggest there is anything nefarious about the report. If anything, the HOA has gone out of their way to back Brown by saying the issue has been resolved.
Here is a look at Sharpe’s full comments about Brown.
I could’ve done without this information on Antonio Brown. Why is it getting out now? What did they hope to accomplish? Were they trying to blackmail him?
The NFL Is ‘Reviewing the Incident’ Involving Brown
There appears to be a difference in how the NFL and Buccaneers view the latest incident involving Brown. The Buccaneers already released a statement indicating the team knew about the October confrontation before signing Brown.
Multiple reports indicate the NFL was not aware of the incident prior to the Miami Herald’s report. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported the NFL is “reviewing the incident”, and also added that Brown can still receive additional punishment for other unrelated events that previously landed the receiver an eight-game suspension.
“The NFL is reviewing the incident last month in which police say #Bucs WR Antonio Brown destroyed a security camera and threw a bike at a security shack, I’m told,” Pelissero noted on Twitter. “This is standard. The league wasn’t aware of the incident prior to reinstating Brown, who wasn’t charged. …Brown already served an eight-game suspension for two unrelated incidents: a felony battery charge (he took a plea deal) and sexual misconduct. But the NFL left open the possibility of an additional suspension or other discipline based on evidence in the civil case.”
A.B. Admitted He ‘Lost His Cool’
Brown was not formally charged with anything for the October confrontation, but keep in mind the NFL can still discipline players, even without legal action being taken. Given Brown’s past transgressions, the receiver is expected to be on his best behavior, and we could see the NFL treat this incident differently than they would with a player without such a track record. Brown expressed regret for “[losing] his cool” via a statement from his spokesperson Alana Burstyn.
“Antonio regrets that he lost his cool that day and he has made amends with the HOA,” Burstyn told the Miami Herald. “However, he is rightly concerned that he is routinely targeted by some people for mistreatment and undue scrutiny because he is Antonio Brown. He wants to be a good neighbor, good citizen and a good teammate.’’
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