Bruce Arians: No Decision On Antonio Brown
December 13th, 2021
Internal discussion coming.
So now that the Bucs have taken care of the Bills, the last real speed bump on the schedule, two pressing questions remain.
The first would be where the Bucs will be seeded for the playoffs.
The second would be, what’s going on with furniture-tossing, bicycle-throwing, fake-V-card-flashing receiver Antonio Brown.
Both Brown and defensive back Mike Edwards were popped recently for trying to pass a fake V-card. Since, per the Wall Street Journal (back in August), Brown got his jab. But the NFL was not dismissive and slapped both with a three-game suspension.
The Saints game this Sunday night will be the final game of that suspension.
So this afternoon in his day-after presser, Arians was asked if there is any reason to believe Brown (and Edwards) won’t be in the building at One Buc Palace to begin preparations for the Stinking Panthers.
“I haven’t made that determination yet,” Arians said. “But we will see how it goes.”
Later when pressed for specifics, Arians said he will have a discussion internally “as an organization” before Arians makes up his mind. That meeting will come, Arians said, when they need to cross that bridge.
With the Bucs on the cusp of a second Super Bowl run, Joe would be stunned if Brown is not back. Joe got a Twitter from someone this morning suggesting Bernard Perriman’s game-winning touchdown last night may make Brown expendable.
That’s getting a little carried away. Perriman was targeted twice last night and wasn’t on the active roster before Friday. Only once this season has Brown had less than seven targets in a game.
Anyone who watched the Bucs offense stall in the second half last night knows the Bucs need Brown or they simply are not being honest with themselves.
December 13th, 2021 at 1:11 pm
Coaches with big egos do not like to get embarassed or have to walk back prior statements about holding a player accountable. We shall see.
December 13th, 2021 at 1:13 pm
The Tampa Bay odds of winning a Super Bowl diminish without Antonio Brown. It would be insane to sit him, and absolutely suicidal to release him.
December 13th, 2021 at 1:14 pm
Zero doubt that AB will be back for the SB run.
December 13th, 2021 at 1:15 pm
it would be absolutely stupid to get rid of brown over the vax card thing. he served his suspension/did his time.
December 13th, 2021 at 1:19 pm
And if he does not like the answer the organization comes to? what’s he going to do quit? He does not own the team so I would think they have the final say so in this matter.
December 13th, 2021 at 1:24 pm
While I want AB here, I wouldn’t be surprised if they sit him for the year… that being said, put him in coach!
Go Bucs
December 13th, 2021 at 1:27 pm
Agreed. If the Bucs want to win another Super Bowl they will need as many great players as they can get and Antonio Brown is a GREAT player.
December 13th, 2021 at 1:28 pm
Keep AB!
December 13th, 2021 at 1:29 pm
Yeah, but when did the statute of limitations expire? Once his (first) contract was over? Two years? Arians never said.
December 13th, 2021 at 1:29 pm
He’s definitely needed on the field. Total knucklehead off the field.
December 13th, 2021 at 1:29 pm
If Brown did what he was accused of doing, kudos. These policies are pure theater.
December 13th, 2021 at 1:34 pm
Come on now, hes not going anywhere, we would have cut him already if we were going to at all.
December 13th, 2021 at 1:35 pm
dont be dumb BA. AB is 10 times the WR as Perriman
December 13th, 2021 at 1:37 pm
Of course they will use/ keep Brown… no way is he going to get released and land with a play off team in the Bucs play
December 13th, 2021 at 1:38 pm
I suspect the stinking panthers will be prepping for AB in the lineup.
December 13th, 2021 at 1:38 pm
Agreed Pewter941… BA is just dragging it out, playing his poker face to make it seem like he’s undecided. AB will be back and this offense will be even better in January.
December 13th, 2021 at 1:41 pm
Think about it like this would any other team dump AB after this after what he has done for this team? and you dump AB then you should dump Edwards too–didn’t Edwards have a p.e. drug suspension in his past?
December 13th, 2021 at 1:42 pm
time for a poll
December 13th, 2021 at 1:43 pm
The NFL is WOKE – no other way to say it.
But the Vax Mandate that has been pushed nationwide is waning fast, if you want the jab, then go take the jab, if you don’t that is your choice.
The vax as admitted by the CDC does not prevent catching or passing on the virus.
Then you have the pragmatic. AB is a very good football player. The Bucs would be better off with him than without him going into a playoff run.
Who is going to win this? The NFL front office that is woke or a NFL Team’s front office trying to win a championship?
December 13th, 2021 at 1:45 pm
Packers just lost two of their receivers to injury, Cobb and St. Brown. Devante Adams is also playing through a hamstring injury. It would be such a dumb move to release AB and give him a chance to help your biggest competition in the AFC. Can you imagine Adams and AB with Rodgers? Hopefully Bucs aren’t that stupid.
December 13th, 2021 at 1:51 pm
Speaking of speed bumps Joe, the Bucs have a dismal regular season record against the Saints.
The only reason we beat them in the playoffs last year was Brees’ dead arm. Payton has outcoached the Bucs for years,
December 13th, 2021 at 1:54 pm
AB will back and so will Edward’s. The goal is another super bowl. The Bucs have already sold their soul by signing him in the first place. May as well go all out for big win #2. Morality decisions in the NFL? Haha. Just win baby, eh?
December 13th, 2021 at 2:07 pm
We will most likely lose to the saints because either A we are cursed against them or B it’s mental and we can’t get out of our own heads. The saints seem to really turn it on though when we play them. I hope AB and Mike Edwards are back we will need them in the playoffs.
December 13th, 2021 at 2:12 pm
Perriman was open because the play’s receiver route scheme confused the Bills D just enough for Perriman to get open and Brady led him beautifully.
Perriman is no substitute for ABrown, Miller maybe.
December 13th, 2021 at 2:23 pm
BA is just making AB sweat just a bit……meeting with the “organization” is another word for talking with “Tom”……AB will play….and play well.
December 13th, 2021 at 2:27 pm
Whoever suggested on Twitter Joe that ‘Bernard Perriman’s game-winning touchdown last night may make Brown expendable’ probably had one too many brewskis in the 2nd half.
December 13th, 2021 at 2:29 pm
Brown will or should be back. BTW, the Bucs will hurt the Saints.
December 13th, 2021 at 2:38 pm
These 2nd half offensive lulls don’t happen with AB in the line up.
December 13th, 2021 at 2:41 pm
NFL rules/”wokeness” were written prior to the season. Every knew them, everyone agreed to them. Too bad if you don’t like them.
He broke the rules and is serving his suspension. To make it about anything else is ludicrous.
BA doesn’t have to answer the question because he doesn’t have to make a decision until next week. For all the hoopla, I’m pretty sure that AB will be in a Bucs uniform come playoff gameday.
We are better with him than without, simple.
December 13th, 2021 at 2:42 pm
“Everyone”…
December 13th, 2021 at 3:04 pm
This is ridiculous. If you signed him with his history, and now you’re going to dump him over this, your morals are in a state of disarray, Coach. He’s been punished enough missing 3 game checks.
December 13th, 2021 at 3:07 pm
Irv will have to patiently wait for this to play out like he has so many times for a Cuban Sandwich, Beet Salad and carafe of Riesling.
December 13th, 2021 at 3:09 pm
Who on this site wouldn’t of felt better going into OT if Brown was on the field? Exactly! If BA cans him because of pride then shat can BA’s arse cause that would prove what a lousy coach he is. BA should address it now and use double jeopardy as his excuse, the NFL already punished him.
December 13th, 2021 at 3:30 pm
The last decision about this subject will come from Brady. No other way around.
December 13th, 2021 at 3:39 pm
AB wont get cut. If you are going to punish him, you put him on the bench and hurt his wallet which is one of the few things we know he cares about. He was playing well before he got injured, not sure if he is healthy or if his play translates should he come back. He also manages squander every 2nd chance he gets. Who even knows if this is the worst thing he has done since he has been part of this team, and this is the one piece that we are missing to put us over the top? AB doesnt stop the run or defend the pass, and if TB12 decides that we are going to win without this knucklehead, then thats what the team will do.
December 13th, 2021 at 3:43 pm
it would be lunacy to cut him–he’d be picked up by the Rams in a heartbeat..Everyone on the team wants another ring –and they ALL know chances are better with AB back..
December 13th, 2021 at 4:38 pm
“Anyone who watched the Bucs offense stall in the second half last night knows the Bucs need Brown or they simply are not being honest with themselves.”
I don’t know fellas, but my impression, at least early in the second half was that rather than the offense stalling, Leftwich went conservative mode. After, the Bills failed at a faked punt attempt and we had the ball at their end of the field leading by 21 points, rather than hitting the throttle and putting the game away, we (or rather BL) decided to try something more conservative and we walked away from that opportunity empty handed. Don’t think with BL’s play calling AB’s presence on the field, at least in that situation, would have made a difference.
December 13th, 2021 at 4:48 pm
It depends on how you feel about the sickness and the vaxes on how severe of an offense this is. So it kinda depends on how Bruce and Licht feel about the sickness and the vaxes.
December 13th, 2021 at 4:50 pm
Cut AB and we don’t win another Super Bowl
December 13th, 2021 at 4:55 pm
Yes you would do a de service to the entire team if you cut him. They can not win a super bowl without him! Cut the morality look at his history.. why did you sign him if you wanted a saint? You would just hand a Super Bowl to Arizona or GreenBay or NewEngland as they all could sign him
December 13th, 2021 at 5:08 pm
Fans of the Bucs want to keep Brown. Fans of other teams want the Bucs to cut Brown. However, if we do cut him they fans of the team that signs him will change their tune and welcome him aboard. The press just wants to sell advertising and will cover this topic until something else attracts more attention. As long as the players on the Bucs want Brown and Edwards back as you can’t cut just one them. I think the Bucs should keep them both.
December 13th, 2021 at 5:28 pm
@”…Fans of the Bucs want to keep Brown. Fans of other teams want the Bucs to cut Brown. ..”
————————-
not only, Rick S is pushing as we speak for an “answer” fro BA…
~~~~
“what you going to do”???
then JL:
hey Coach:
“as RS said, what you going to do, and when”???
~~~
dang… for a moment i though CNN and MSNBC were there…. at One Bucs Place. Pushing their agenda….
December 13th, 2021 at 5:34 pm
You Joes are right about the offense stalling and it would be dumb not to bring Brown back. I think he comes back. What I’m really concerned with is why the hell we stalled when we have Lenny, Chris, Mike, and Gronk all healthy and playing lights out? Buffalo was missing its best defensive player and they don’t have a great defense to begin with, so it’s frustrating. We have a weird freaking team this year, but it’s happy b!tching from me since we are 10-3.
December 13th, 2021 at 5:44 pm
Bugzilla, Bills were 2nd best D in the league. 1st against the pass.
December 13th, 2021 at 5:50 pm
This is a non story as long as the DOJ doesn’t get involved.
TB wants AB. End of story.
December 13th, 2021 at 6:09 pm
The Cut Brown hysterical Karens will set their hair on fire when Brown suits up for the SB run…
December 13th, 2021 at 6:39 pm
Listerine, the Patriots humiliated their defense last week and like I said, their best defensive player is hurt. No chance they we’re worthy of a number two Ranking while one of the best corners in football missed the ballgame. Stats can be very misleading and there is zero reason why we shouldn’t have continued the shellacking. Hopefully our heads are right for the saints.
December 13th, 2021 at 6:47 pm
Every year that we have Tom Brady, we have to go all out for the SuperBowl Ring.
Because, given the weapons, Brady can win the SuperBowl every year.
It would be idiotic to cut one of his best Weapons- right before the playoffs start.
Lets get another ring or two.
We can get sanctimonious after Brady retires.
December 13th, 2021 at 7:16 pm
AB is going nowhere. Maybe after the season we can argue about him being not back but he’s staying on the team.
December 13th, 2021 at 8:22 pm
AB not getting cut. I still want to know the injury status going into the playoffs though.
December 13th, 2021 at 9:02 pm
Just ask the GOAT. If The Goat wants AB back, then problem solve!
December 13th, 2021 at 9:09 pm
Arians is just tossing bait out there. As if he’s in charge to even make that decision, it’s Brady’s decision.
December 14th, 2021 at 7:13 am
Arians’ character (and his word) is at stake. If he’s true to his word, AB is gone.