Last Sunday, former Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown stormed off the field during a game against the New York Jets. He removed his jersey, gloves, and shirt in frustration and was shouting at the crowd on his way out. His antics left many unanswered questions… the biggest being… How and why could this have happened?

Setting Example For Others

So, how exactly does this affect student-athletes? Well, there should be a sense of accountability from both Brown and the Buccaneers organization about this whole thing. This should be used as a teaching moment for student-athletes that there should be a proper way to handle yourself. Yes, there are moments in the game where personality gets to shine, but Brown essentially gave his team the middle finger as he stormed off.

Another thing to take away from this is communication which seems to be lacking from both player and organization. According to an article from the Athletic, Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians said “Antonio Brown didn’t tell Tampa Bay coaches he was injured.” This isn’t the first situation that Brown has run into, however, it might be the last considering that pro teams won’t want to put up with this type of display. There is no doubt about his skill as a player, but these types of situations could be handled a lot better from both sides. Antonio Brown needs to take accountability for his actions here. The Tampa Bay organization also needs to make sure this is not the result of toxicity in the locker room, something which all NFL teams should take very seriously.

Asking For Help

The one thing that both Bruce Arians and teammate Tom Brady agree on is that if Brown needs some kind of help, they both hope he gets it. Mental health and how to manage it has been an increasing problem throughout the sports world and this could be the latest example of that. Whether Brown decides to get that help will be the next question and an NFL team gives him another chance.

There has been increasing questions whether Brown’s outburst is a cause of CTE as it’s been a known problem throughout the NFL. Which is why teammates and coaches are encouraging Brown to get the help if he needs it. While there is no full on conclusion to make about what caused AB’s outburst, this should serve as a lesson for student-athletes that mental health needs to be a priority when traversing their career.