The Troubled History Of Antonio Brown

The following article includes mentions of domestic violence and sexual assault allegations.

Antonio Brown has long been one of the biggest names in the NFL and, arguably, in all of sports. Over the course of his decade-plus career, the legendary wide receiver spent nine seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers before landing short-lived stints with the Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Once considered one of the best in the league's history and having racked up some impressive stats, like his record-breaking 900th reception in October 2021, Brown is also a social media giant, meaning he makes noise both on and off the field. 

But lately, his name has been front page news, seemingly for all the wrong reasons, leading him to now be best known for taking an axe to his career in record time. Exactly how much fault Brown has had in some of these matters is still unclear, as of this writing, and who knows if he'll ever play football again before he officially retires. What is clear, however, is that the pro football star's latest issues are just part of his larger story, a story that is marred with ups and downs.

Here's an inside look at the troubled history of Antonio Brown.

In Northwest Miami, there's a little neighborhood called Gwen Cherry Park that has fostered some incredible athletes, namely NFL stars Amari Cooper, Santana Moss, Chad Johnson, and Antonio Brown. Yet, while this low-income neighborhood where football reigns supreme seems to grow NFL legends from the ground, those that grew up here faced many challenges.

According to ESPN, one of Brown's earliest memories "was watching a man steal a purse from his elementary school teacher, dashing away as the shocked students looked on." As he got older, his friends joined gangs and nearly every party he went to "ended in a shootout." Brown's childhood football coach, Tyrone Hilton (aka the father of fellow NFL star T.Y. Hilton), said that "three of his players have been murdered." For that reason and more, those that those that get out of Gwen Cherry Park tend to stay out. At least, that was the case with Brown. According to Hilton, "When he left the park, he disappeared."

Antonio Brown's father, Eddie Brown, was a football star in his own right. Considered the greatest Arena Football League player to ever play, according to a 2006 vote (via ESPN), Eddie didn't see his son Antonio much when he was growing up. The same outlet reported that after spending a few months with his father in 1996 when he was eight years old, Antonio became estranged from Eddie for many years.

At home, Antonio's relationship with his mother's husband was strained, as well. ESPN also reported that "a falling-out with his mother's new husband," Antonio left home, crashing with friends and "sometimes sleeping in cars." Asked about this tumultuous period during an on-camera ESPN interview, Antonio described his childhood as "a little rough," adding that he "had to live with teammates and kind of find a way for myself." Despite the challenge of the experience, Antonio explained that it taught him "to never take anything for granted."

Playing high school football at Miami Norland, Antonio Brown put up big numbers and earned several accolades, but it wasn't enough to launch him to the next level. While there was interest from some of the big colleges, Brown's grades were not strong enough for consideration. Scouting interviews also proved to be a challenge.

When Bowling Green sent Zach Azzanni to meet and recruit the talented athlete, the meeting was conducted on the street, where Brown stood next to his bike. "I literally met him on the corner," Azzanni told ESPN. In the end, no offers from any "major" Division-1 schools came. Brown's first choice, Florida State, denied him because of "academic concerns." He then tried Alcorn State, but discovered that his test scores weren't high enough.

After boosting his test scores and earning a scholarship to Florida International University (FIU), Brown was then involved in an altercation on campus. According to ESPN, his scholarship was rescinded before he ever took the field for the team. School officials allegedly told Brown, "We're gonna say you were never here."

After Antonio Brown was removed from FIU and he returned home, he got a call from the former Bowling Green recruiter, Zach Azzanni. Now with Central Michigan, Azzanni encouraged Brown to try out for the college's team as a walk-on receiver. So Brown took his shot. He flew into to town with all his belongings, none of which were winter clothes, and made the team.

According to Bleacher Report, Brown became the school's all-time receptions leader, and finished in the top three all-time for reception yards and touchdowns. "He was the best player in that conference, hands down, at the time," Azzanni later said. "There was nothing else for him to prove other than, 'Hey, I can do this at a bigger scale.'"

Determined to make the NFL, Brown then attended the league's combine and was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the sixth round. Nine years after leaving Central Michigan, Brown said of the school, "This is where it all began. Nobody believed when I was here, and nobody thought I'd be where I'm at. It's all about doing things people wouldn't expect you to do while coming from a place they wouldn't expect you to come from."

In order to boost his standardized test scores, Antonio Brown attended North Carolina Tech Preparatory Christian Academy. Since he left, the school has had a few critical pieces done on its practices. An ESPN "Outside the Lines" report, for example, highlighted several controversies regarding the school, including no physical classes on-site, predatory recruiting practices, fabricated team records, and questionable educational standards.

Local news station WBTV's "Problem Solver Investigation" segment also looked into the NC Tech program and raised concerns about its academic integrity. Following the segment, the NCAA issued a news release, stating it "will not accept core courses, grades, and graduation" from NC Tech.

But the story was linked to Brown when it was learned that NC Tech program recruiters were allegedly using former students, like Brown, as part of their sales pitches. "Well, it's sad. It's misleading," Brown said of the controversies regarding his former school. "I feel like as a coach you're responsible for telling the kid what's beneficial or what's best for him. And not misleading him. ... So it made me look at it as maybe he's running something that's not really right."

Being a celebrity often means seeing your personal life discussed by the media and devoured by the public. While Antonio Brown is no different, he feels and speaks about the pressure in a way that many celebrities and athletes don't. "You guys write about me every day," he once said to reporters. "My mom and kids see it, so we have to deal with these type of things. ... I started to think to myself, am I really free?"

But by expressing his feelings, Brown didn't free himself from the constant coverage or the scrutiny. In fact, it may have gotten even worse. In September 2018, The Undefeated published a thorough piece on Brown. When the wide receiver learned that the writer Jesse Washington was reaching out to people close to him, he didn't take it lightly.

Brown sent Washington a direct message on Instagram that stated, "Bro stop hitting my people up looking for stories stay in your lane." Washington published the message in the story. After that, Brown sent an ill-advised threat to Washington in a now-deleted tweet, telling Washington (via Deadspin), "Wait [till] I see you bro we gon see what your jaw like." Brown later apologized for reacting that way.

Antonio Brown is used to being doubted by those around him. He penned a piece for The Players' Tribune entitled "Destroy Doubt," in which he wrote, "I'm not six foot five. I'm not 250 pounds. I've been overlooked. Doubted." In Brown's scouting report from college, his size was questioned, so too were his work ethic, mental fortitude, and attitude.

Brown remembered all these doubters when he gloated in a Facebook Live video from the Steelers' locker room after the team advanced to the AFC Championship Game in 2017. "For those who didn't believe — look at me now," he laughed. "For the time they locked me out the crib they didn't let me in, haaa! You played yourself. For the time they didn't recruit me to go to college — haaaa! You played yourself. For the people who rolled up and said I was too small — aahh, haaa."

Yet, despite having some of the most prolific numbers in NFL history, it seemed that Brown still wasn't past the doubt. Ryan Scarpino, a longtime public relations assistant with the Steelers, tweeted, "AB needs to thank his lucky stars, because he was drafted by a team that had Ben [Roethlisberger]. And Ben got AB paid. You know darn well he wouldn't put up those numbers for other teams." To this, Brown responded in a since-deleted tweet (via Bleacher Report), "Trade me let's find out."

While on the Pittsburgh Steelers together, Antonio Brown and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had some heated on-field discussions. It seemed that, on most of these occasions, Roethlisberger, who has his own shady reputation, was quick to put the blame on Brown. The wide receiver letting his temper get the best of him on the field, for example, was "causing a distraction that none of us really need," according to Roethlisberger in 2017 (via NBC Sports). Other times, the quarterback publicly called Brown out for running the wrong route. Yet, while there appeared to be tension between the two athletes, both were quick to shut down any divide the following year. Brown confirmed that "Ben love[d]" him and didn't need to apologize for showing emotion, and Roethlisberger insisted that there was "no issue in our locker room" and no issue between Brown and him (via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette).

But then Brown got to talking on Lebron James' "The Shop," and the truth seemed to change. "All year, the dude called me out," he said of Roethlisberger. "We lose a game, he like, d**n, AB should have run a better route." When asked why, Brown responded, "That's the type of guy he is. He feel like he the owner. 'Bro, you threw the s**t to the D-lineman! How the f**k I'mma run a better route?"

Of course, the tensions of the 2019 offseason and all of Brown's headline-grabbing antics may have changed that.

In October 2018, TMZ Sports published reports of a lawsuit against Antonio Brown from events that dated back to April of the same year. According to the lawsuit, a young child and his grandfather were walking around the pool of an apartment complex when furniture from one of the apartments above came crashing down. The items included "2 very large vases, a heavy ottoman and other pieces of furniture — which landed within a mere foot or 2 from the toddler and his grandfather."

Reportedly, surveillance video alerted security to Brown's apartment and police were called. When they arrived, "Mr. Brown was extremely agitated, acting aggressively, and yelling at security personnel." The same outlet then suggested that Brown may have been agitated because he noticed that $80,000 and a 9mm gun were missing from his belongings.

While Brown was not arrested, the apartment complex reportedly began the eviction process and another lawsuit was filed for further damages. Afterward, Brown released the statement: "It has now been made public that two lawsuits containing false claims have been filed against me. The facts will soon come out that prove my innocence." In the court records, Brown allegedly stated that "the acts were committed by another individual who was also present at the time of the incident." The lawsuit was settled in 2019.

In early February 2019, reports surfaced of an alleged domestic violence dispute involving Antonio Brown and the mother of his child, Wiltrice Jackson. According to TMZ Sports, the alleged incident occurred in late January. Brown's attorney called the accusations "baseless and false."

Shortly afterward, talk show host Andy Slater tweeted out the incident report, which detailed an argument between the two parents over reimbursement for their daughter's haircut. According to the report, Ms. Jackson was allegedly shoved to the ground by Brown in the altercation, but she was unwilling to "complete a victim affidavit." TMZ Sports later reported that Jackson attempted to "cancel her report" but was unable to halt the process of the investigation.

A couple of weeks later, the same outlet published pictures of the injuries Jackson allegedly sustained, which "show a very minor scratch on her forearm." Despite the closed case and the attempt to retract the report, the event took a toll on Brown. He was investigated by the NFL and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Due to these events and the allegedly false accusations, Brown's lawyers reported that the NFLer would seek full custody of his daughter.

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

In late 2018, Antonio Brown was ticketed for speeding in Pittsburgh. He was allegedly traveling more than 100mph on a road with a posted speed limit of 45mph. WPXI News posted video of the traffic offense was posted and linked it to Brown. The Commissioner of Ross Township then tweeted about the event, linking the Steelers, coach Mike Tomlin, and Brown, bringing even more attention to it.

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Brown was then found guilty of the charges of reckless driving when he "skipped" his court date. Represented by his lawyer, Brown's whereabouts during the court proceedings were undisclosed. When he was asked about the speeding ticket in his sit down with ESPN, Brown shared his side of the story. "The police pulled me over and say I'm a suspect for a bank robbery," he said. "So the guys call more police. They take pictures of me. ... Now I'm on the news." The NFL star then explained what happened with the court proceedings. "Then, they want me to go to court for a speeding ticket," he said. "I send my lawyer. Then it's like, the media waiting for me, I don't go. Now it's a big deal."

When Antonio Brown missed a crucial Pittsburgh Steelers game at the end of the 2018 season, rumors went flying about what was really going on. The early reports stated that Brown was nursing a knee injury. Then there was talk about a disagreement between Brown and a teammate (later revealed to be Ben Roethlisberger), which resulted in him then skipping practice and team meetings. This then led to multiple reports of Brown asking for a trade out of Pittsburgh. The whole thing was craziness, but it was grounded in truth.

Brown did finally request a trade and made it official, sort of, through Twitter. He tweeted out a highlight reel of his NFL career with the message, "Thank you SteelerNation for a big 9 years...time to move on and forward." Later, while on "The Shop," he disclosed what happened with that last game. "I'm a little banged up, so I meet with coach Tomlin and I'm tellin' him, like, 'Hey man, I'm a little banged up, so I'mma need a little time to get right,'" Brown explained. "He like, 'You banged up, man, just, you know, you just go home.'" According to Brown, it was at that moment that he realized, "D**n, that's where we at?" In the end, the Steelers traded Brown to the Oakland Raiders, ending one of the biggest sagas in sports.

Then Brown got frostbite on his feet during the offseason, missed training camp, lost two disputes with the NFL over his helmet choice, got in a shouting match with the Raiders' general manager, nearly got suspended by the team, apologized to his teammates, and posted on Instagram that he wanted to be released. He would then sign with the New England Patriots. And all this before Week 1 was even in the books!

On September 7, 2019, the same day the Oakland Raiders released him, Antonio Brown signed a one-year deal with the New England Patriots worth up to $15 million, with a $9 million signing bonus despite some serious criminal allegations against him. According to Sports Illustrated, Brown was accused of sexual assault by his former trainer, Britney Taylor. A second woman, an unnamed artist, later accused Brown of sexual misconduct, alleging that he attempted "a clear sexual come-on" while she worked on a mural at his home.

Regardless, Brown made his season debut in a game against the Miami Dolphins, where he hauled in four passes for 56 yards and one touchdown. It appeared his career was back on track, but less than two weeks later, the Patriots cut Brown after it was revealed that the star wide receiver sent intimidating text messages to the second accuser. "We appreciate the hard work of many people over the past 11 days, but we feel that it is best to move in a different direction at this time," the team said in a statement (via ESPN).

"It's unfortunate things didn't work out with the Patriots," Brown's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said. "But Antonio is healthy and is looking forward to his next opportunity in the NFL. He wants to play the game he loves, and he hopes to play for another team soon." In 2021, Brown settled a lawsuit with first accuser Britney Taylor.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

In what was likely an effort to shed his image as one of the NFL's most hated players, Antonio Brown posted a lengthy statement on Instagram on December 6, 2019. "First and foremost, I'd like to apologize to my family, friends, and anyone who I offended," he wrote. "I never once meant to make anyone feel like I wasn't thankful and appreciative of the opportunity that I was afforded to play the game I love. I've worked hard over the years to earn a chance to compete in the greatest game on earth."

Brown admitted that he hadn't handled "challenges" well, but he claimed that "the past few weeks" had given him "the opportunity to think about everything." However, he added that while his "behavior was inexcusable," it was due to his reaction to "false information and allegations." He then claimed to "take full responsibility" for his actions and had a message of any potential team who is thinking about signing him. "I do know that if I'm ever given the opportunity to play the game that I love, I'm going to work extremely hard to show the world how much I appreciate another chance."

He ended his statement with what appeared to be a plea to the Oakland Raiders and New England Patriots. "To the organizations that I offended, I offer my sincere apology to you and my hope is that you forgive me and help me move on from this minor setback," he concluded.

Antonio Brown's moment of repentance didn't seem to last long, as he quickly returned to the diva antics for which he's best known. A mere five days after his December 2019 Instagram apology, Brown took to Twitter to unleash a tirade against the NFL and his former Pittsburgh Steelers teammate Ben Roethlisberger, who was accused of sexually assaulting two women in 2009 and 2010.

"Guess all mighty [sic] @nfl can hold players out against there will no criminal charges pending nothing but A [sic] Caucasian player gets a domestic go to jail still out there playing targeted hate against us everywhere my peeps," Brown tweeted. He then retweeted a comment by a Twitter user who wrote, "How come Ben Roethlisberger is in the NFL? Didn't he have serious accusations before? I don't always think it's always necessary to play the 'race card,' but I can definitely agree with this one! Something ain't right."

According to TMZ Sports, another user called Brown "a real loser," adding, "Big Ben made that bum." Brown wrote in response, "Check his stats before I came n [sic] I was done with that loser long time ago." Yikes.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

Antonio Brown made headlines once again on December 14, 2019, when he live-streamed police officers arriving at his home in Hollywood, Florida. According to TMZ Sports, the police were there at the request of Chelsie Kyriss, the mother of three of Brown's children, who felt uncomfortable picking up their child's clothes by herself and asked law enforcement officials for a "civil standby."

During the video, a very hoarse Brown narrated the whole time with gems like, "These girls be so broke, they trying to force they self in," and "Hollywood police ain't s**t, man." Brown then asked his friend to carry the clothes outside and asked an officer to approach the door, who Brown criticized for allowing Kyriss inside his gate. As the officer left with the child's clothes, Brown said, "Get the f**k outta here." Once the officers left, Brown turned the camera on himself and said, "Listen, you white police gotta stop doing that. You can't be lettin' these people just come in on my privacy. She ain't supposed to be here." He concluded the video with, "F**k the police."

Less than a month after the police incident at his Florida home, Antonio Brown's longtime agent, Drew Rosenhaus, "conditionally ended" his relationship with the former Pro Bowler, according to ESPN. The outlet's description of Rosenhaus' letter to the NFL Players Association regarding the matter stated that "he would like to work with Brown, but not until he first gets help."

Rosenhaus, one of the most powerful agents in the NFL, has negotiated over $7 billion in contracts through his company Rosenhaus Sports Representation. During Brown's career, especially after his 2019 release from the Oakland Raiders, Rosenhaus was the football star's biggest cheerleader. "A lot of people focus on the last couple of months of dysfunction and things with Antonio," Rosenhaus told ESPN after Brown signed with the New England Patriots. "But what people should remember is that for eight years, he was one of the most rock-solid players in the league — on and off the field. I just don't want people to lose track of that."

According to Pro Football Talk, a source claimed that Rosenhaus' decision to cut ties with Brown was to serve as a wake-up call to his once-promising client.

On January 22, 2020, TMZ Sports reported that the Hollywood Police Department issued an arrest warrant for Antonio Brown after he and his trainer allegedly attacked a moving company truck driver. According to the court documents obtained by the publication, Brown allegedly physically assaulted the driver and threw a rock at the vehicle after the driver demanded his $4,000 payment and Brown refused.

The outlet also released the audio of the 911 call in which the driver claimed Brown was under the influence of drugs. "The guy is high, he smoked, he threatened me. He's trying to fight, he throws stones in my truck," the driver said during the call. "I'm trying to make delivery to the gentleman. According to the contract, he has to pay the balance for us to unload it. ... The guy refused to pay in the proper form."

CNN reports that Brown was "released on bond after turning himself in on burglary and battery charges." "Fox Sports" radio host Andy Slater tweeted photos of Brown in the courtroom and included more details. "Antonio Brown, wearing an anti-suicide smock, made his first court appearance. His bond was set at $100,000 for the burglary with battery charge," he wrote. "The judge ordered Brown to wear a GPS monitor, surrender his passport, and undergo a mental health evaluation." That June, Brown pleaded no contest to the charges and received two years' probation.

According to The Tampa Bay Times, Antonio Brown's model girlfriend, Cydney Moreau, was accused of texting Los Angeles chef Steven Ruiz in July 2021 stating that Brown would like to purchase a fake vaccination card. Less that month later, the NFL suspended Tom Brady's reliable target for three games for violating the league's COVID-19 protocols.

"The health and safety of players and personnel is our top priority," the NFL-NFLPA (NFL Players Association) said in a joint statement to NFL.com. "The protocols were jointly developed working with our respective experts to ensure that we are practicing and playing football as safely as possible during the ongoing pandemic." The Tampa Bay Buccaneers organization also released a statement thanking the league for their investigation. "We appreciate the League's timely handling of this matter and recognize the importance of the health and safety protocols that have been established. We will continue to implement all league COVID-19 protocols," the team said.

Brown's attorney, Sean Burstyn, released a statement of his own that December, stating that the footballer was now fully vaccinated. "Mr. Brown is vaccinated and continues to support the vaccine for any person for whom it is appropriate," Burstyn said (via NFL.com). "The NFL made its determination and, instead of going through the drawn out and distracting process of challenging the outcome, Mr. Brown wrapped this up promptly and he will make this most of this time by treating his ankle injury."

In his second game back from suspension, Antonio Brown effectively ended his Tampa Bay Buccaneers career and possibly his NFL career in early January 2022 by dramatically leaving the field during the third quarter of his team's Week 17 matchup against the New York Jets. According to NFL.com, Brown "pulled off his helmet, jersey and pads, waved to the fans at MetLife Stadium and ran into the tunnel." Yikes.

During the postgame press conference, Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians ripped the Band-Aid off quickly. "Never seen anything like it in all my years," the two-time NFL Coach of The Year said. "He is no longer a Buc. That's the end of the story." Brown's teammate, Tom Brady, was a little more compassionate about his thoughts on the incident. "We all want him to get help in ways that he needs it," Brady told reporters. "We all love him deeply. Unfortunately he won't be with our team." He added that "people should be more empathetic" regarding Brown.

Five days after the incident, Brown was officially released by the team and cleared waivers — meaning no other team picked up his contract. Was this the end of the then-33-year-old's career? Only time will tell. Time will also tell how much the glove Brown threw into the stands will fetch on the open market. At the time of this writing, Lelands Sports Memorabilia and Card Auctions has the item up for auction, with the current bid at just over $3,000.

In his first public statement following his third quarter departure from the abovementioned New York Jets game, Antonio Brown accused the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of trying to force him to play on an injured ankle that would eventually require surgery. "I took a seat on the sideline and my coach came up to me, very upset, and shouted, 'What's wrong with you? What's wrong with you?' I told him, 'It's my ankle.' But he knew that. It was well-documented and we had discussed it," Brown said (via ESPN).

Brown then alleged that head coach Bruce Arians "ordered" him onto the field without offering any "medical attention." The mercurial wideout continued, "Instead, he shouted at me, 'YOU'RE DONE!' while he ran his finger across his throat. Coach was telling me that if I didn't play hurt, then I was done with the Bucs." The former sixth round pick then posted screenshots on Twitter of his alleged conversation with Arians informing him of his damaged ankle.

Despite his frustrations with the Buccaneers coaching staff, Brown revealed in another tweet that his teammates had his back during the ordeal. "Don't get it twisted. My brothers have been good to me," Brown wrote, claiming they "knew nothing about my talks with coach last week." Brown went on to claim that the Buccaneers organization "mishandled this situation." He added, "They let me down and, more importantly, my teammates."

During an explosive interview on HBO's "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" in late January 2022, Antonio Brown and his lawyer, Sean Burstyn, alleged that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers attempted to bribe him into "intense mental health treatment" to avoid further fallout from the incident. "These guys at the Tampa Bay Bucs tried to make an agreement with me to give me $200,000 to go to the crazy house so these guys could look like they know what they were talking about," Brown stated.

Burstyn claimed that he was "twice" told "in writing" by the Buccaneers' general manager, Jason Licht, not to "spin this any other way." He added, "To the extent any of that is coming from a spin that Antonio had a spontaneous mental episode, it's resentful and it's hurtful and it's a disservice to people who do suffer from mental health challenges. We all have our difficulties."

Brown's attorney stated that all "options are on the table," and even hinted at a potential lawsuit. "We're going to hold to account the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Bruce Arians, the general manager to the extent anyone who's responsible for this spin that Antonio isn't reliable to do a good job playing football because he doesn't have the mental fortitude to do it," he said. How much would Brown be seeking? "A whole lot of money. A whole lot," Brown added (via ESPN).

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.