Bruce Arians has a change of heart regarding Antonio Brown
Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Antonio Brown has had several lives in the NFL. More often than not, players are lucky to get a second chance, let alone a third and fourth like Brown.
Having played the majority of his career with the Steelers, problems developed with Brown's off-field behavior and he was traded to the Raiders.
His stay with the Raiders did not last long as he was shipped to New England before being released again. He then teamed up with Tom Brady and the Buccaneers, where he won a Super Bowl.
Head coach Bruce Arians stated that Brown was on a one-strike policy in Tampa. But after Brown's fake vaccination card drama, Arians went back on his word. Speaking to Peter King of Football Morning in America, Arians explained why he changed his "one chance" rule with Brown.
“When you and I talked last year, we were talking on old experiences with Antonio," Arians said. "When he came back to us, he was a model citizen. There was a new history.
"I really loved the way he tried to fit in, worked his way in and gave us everything he had to go to the Super Bowl. My whole attitude on him changed. I saw him trying to be a better human being. So I’ve got a totally different relationship than when it was when you and I talked last year."
Bruce Arians is doing what's best for the Bucs with Antonio Brown
Bruce Arians to FMIA’s Peter King on changing his last chance rule on Antonio Brown: “When you and I talked last year,” Arians told me post-game, “we were talking on old experiences with Antonio. When he came back to us, he was a model citizen. There was a new history….
Sunday was Brown's first game since his three-game suspension for the fake vaccination card fiasco. When news dropped that Arians was bringing Brown back to play against the Panthers, despite him stating his one-strike policy for him, Arians said that things had changed since he made that statement.
"Well, the history has changed since that statement," Arians said. "A lot of things went on last year that I was very proud of him. And I made a decision that was best for our football team."
The injuries sustained in the 9-0 loss to the New Orleans Saints likely had something to do with Brown being welcomed back. Mike Evans, Leonard Fournette and Chris Godwin (ACL) are all out for the rest of the regular season, and their status for the postseason is questionable, too.
So it made sense from a football standpoint to bring Brown back to help with the Bucs' push for back-to-back Super Bowls. Tom Brady clearly liked having AB back as he threw 10 of his 18 completions to Brown for 101 yards in the 32-6 win over Carolina.
Antonio Brown didn't want to talk about any of the off-the-field stuff after today's game.
"I don't want to talk about that. You guys are all drama. ... We're going to talk about Carolina or I don't want to talk to you guys."
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With Brown on the team, Arians and Tampa Bay have a much better shot at making a deep playoff run, and this is likely what Arians must have thought when he brought the 33-year-old receiver back.
It will be interesting to see Arians' stance should Brown slip up again, but for now, Brown is a member of the Buccaneers, and by all accounts he is doing everything that is asked of him. Whether he returns next season remains to be seen, but right now, Brown is in the good books of his head coach.