Photo Courtesy of Instagram (finesseframess)
Wide receiver Antonio Brown accused the Tampa Buccaneers of paying him hush money in a shocking X (formerly Twitter) post.
In a since-deleted X post, Brown shared a photo of bands ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 and a check for $64 638.41. The check read “Buccaneers Team LLC and had the team’s pirate flag logo.
“Thank you [Buccaneers] for hush money settlement. Playing me while I was hurt, now [you] can suck my d**k. NFL money, rap money,” he wrote above the photo.
He posted the same photo on his Instagram story, telling the Buccaneers to “suck [his] d**k.”
The 35-year-old wide receiver joined the Buccaneers in 2020 but publicly quit the team in 2022, which went viral.
According to SB Nation, Brown was frustrated on the day the Buccaneers played the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium because he didn’t believe he was healthy enough to play. But his head coach, Bruce Adriens, didn’t respect it.
The two got into an argument that resulted in Brown removing his uniform — helmet, jersey, and shoulder pads — while standing on the sidelines, throwing his clothes into the crowd and storming out of the game. Brown’s teammate, Mike Evans, attempted to stop him, but the wide receiver continued.
Following Brown’s dramatic exit, the Buccaneers announced he wasn’t a part of the team.
Through his lawyer, Brown addressed the situation to clear up rumors. He claimed he knew he couldn’t play with an injured ankle.
“The trigger was someone telling me that I’m not allowed to feel pain,” he said. “I acknowledge my past. But my past does not make me a second-class citizen. My past does not forfeit my right to be heard when I am in pain.”
He also said that the team was covering up the fact that they cut him before he ran off the field.
“As part of their ongoing cover-up, they are acting like I wasn’t cut and now demanding that I see a doctor of their choice to examine my ankle,” he said.