Is Antonio Brown buying AFL team? Former Bucs WR breaks silence amid viral rumors
Antonio Brown's NFL playing days might be over, but it doesn't appear that he's done with the game of football right now. Rumors abound that he's planning to buy an AFL team and the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wideout broke his silence on the matter.
According to him, that's exactly what he's doing. A statement obtained by an NFL reporter says that Brown is at least planning to purchase the Albany Empire of the National Arena League.
BREAKING: Statement from Antonio Brown to @_MLFootball regarding his purchase of the Albany Empire of the National Arena League:
“Imagining buying your father's team you saw him be the greatest AFL player all-time over Kurt Warner, so for me to bring the community back give… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… https://t.co/JM7FnK7TZO
Brown's statement reads:
“Imagining buying your father's team you saw him be the greatest AFL player all-time over Kurt Warner, so for me to bring the community back give opportunities, help others live their dreams, and to be a part of greatness of something bigger than me, I’m excited!”
According to the wide receiver, Brown's father was an AFL standout, as he mentioned, which is why he's so excited to get involved with a team. It's worth noting, however, that it doesn't appear as if the Albany Empire is truly his father's team.
Peter Schwartz, a prominent radio anchor, clarified Brown's mistake:
"They didn't buy his father's team. This is not the Albany Firebirds...it's the Albany Empire...a different team in a different league."
Regardless of his perhaps off-base intentions, Brown does seem slated to purchase the team. What he plans to do after that is truly anyone's guess.
Brown's net worth is estimated to be about $20 million, so he may need other investors to buy the team.
Is Antonio Brown ever coming back to the NFL?
Antonio Brown is almost certainly going to end up in the Hall of Fame one day despite all the off-field struggles. He was that good. However, his playing days, even at age 34, are likely over.
He has far too many serious incidents off the field, ranging from public indecency to domestic violence. He's far too much of a risk to any NFL team.
Additionally, if he truly is moving into ownership of an AFL team, he's unlikely to play for an NFL team. By all accounts, the enigmatic wide receiver is done playing football.