Is Antonio Brown a Hall of Famer? How does the Buccaneers WR matchup against others?
Antonio Brown won his first Super Bowl in 2020 in his debut season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brown has had an up-and-down career, more specifically the last few seasons.
But will his off-the-field issues affect his recognition for what he did on it?
Is Antonio Brown a Hall of Famer?
Antonio Brown signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last October, almost two months into the regular season.
He made his first start of the season in Week 9 and although he couldn't emulate his performance from his Pittsburgh Steelers days, he was effective. In 2020, Antonio Brown had 45 catches for 483 yards and four touchdowns.
Antonio Brown re-signed with the Buccaneers for another year just last week after undergoing knee surgery. He is expected to have a more productive campaign in his first full season with the Buccaneers. Before signing with Tampa Bay, Antonio Brown last competed in a full NFL season in 2018 when he was with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
During his time with the Steelers, Antonio Brown was arguably the best wide receiver in the league and was on track for a Hall of Fame jacket. But he demanded a trade away from the team after a disagreement with teammates and the coaching staff.
He was eventually traded to the Oakland Raiders, but his stint there didn't last long. Brown was disgruntled about the helmet he was asked to wear and refused to practice if he couldn't wear the helmet of his choice. He reportedly got into an altercation with Raiders general manager Mike Mayock which ultimately led to his release.
Then came his short time with the New England Patriots in 2019. He signed with the team as a free agent but was released after just one game due to a sexual misconduct lawsuit. He was later suspended by the NFL and that derailed his career trajectory.
Statistically, Antonio Brown has already surpassed plenty of Hall of Fame wide receivers.
Michael Irvin, who is in the Hall of Fame, finished his career with 750 receptions and 11,904 receiving yards, whereas Brown already has 886 receptions and 11,746 receiving yards. Brown also has 75 touchdown catches compared to Irvin's 69.
Over a comparable amount of years, Antonio Brown does matchup against a Hall of Fame wide receiver like Michael Irvin and is statistically worthy of a place in Canton. Whether Brown's time on the Commissioner's Exempt List and off-the-field issues cast doubt on his induction into the Hall of Fame will be determined by the voting committee.