Antonio Brown: From Madden Cover to Just Mad

Story by Yinzer Crazy Contributor Jayson Erwin. Follow him on Twitter @JaysonErwin2002

With Madden 23 coming to your gaming consoles in less than a week, let's take a look at the last time a Steeler graced the cover. It was WR Antonio Brown on Madden 19. Before this game came out, there was a common belief that the player who is on the cover will be cursed and have an injury or a bad season. Before Brown it was more or less a belief. Looking at what happened since he became a cover star, it wasn't a belief, it was a fact.

Antonio Brown is a name a lot of Steeler fans recall for the best and worst reasons. Antonio Brown, arguably the greatest 6th round pick of all time, was selected in the 2010 draft out of Central Michigan University. Since being drafted, he has been called "the greatest Steeler receiver of all time" which is a list consisting of the likes of Hines Ward, Lynn Swann, and John Stallworth so that's quite an accomplishment. The numbers Brown put up while in Pittsburgh were nothing short of astronomical. He put up over 11,000 yards and 74 touchdowns, he had 100+ receptions every year from 2013-2018. 7 time pro bowler and 4 time all pro.

With all that, it's not hard to see why Brown was selected the cover star for Madden 19. Before this, Brown was always seen as a diva but never was too much to handle. For example, some tensions with Brown and the Steeler organization started in early 2017, where Brown broadcasted a Facebook Live after a win against the Chiefs despite locker room leaders request to not. The video broadcasted Mike Tomlin insulting the Patriots whom the Steelers faced next week for the AFC Championship. Tomlin wasn't pleased with Brown, calling it "selfish and inconsiderate". It was swept under the carpet and Brown was mostly silent until his season after Madden 19 came out.

From there, nothing would be the same.

Antonio Brown would have a wild 2018 season on the field and off. Brown would be the center of drama causing the Steelers organization to look bad. Brown would chuck furniture out of a 14-story building nearly hitting a child and would get sued for the incident. Antonio was also cited for speeding and would be taken to court and found guilty and fined as a result. But it's weird because Brown had another amazing season and one of his career best. 15 touchdowns and over 1000 yards. The off field incidents would just be the warm up for what would eventually become a forest fire of incidents.

On the final game of the 2018 season for the Steelers, a must win to go to the playoffs, Brown was benched and it was believed it was a knee injury. However it was later revealed Brown got into a huge fight with his believed to be friend QB Ben Roethlisberger and kept skipping practices which resulted in him getting benched. Antonio Brown felt unsatisfactory with the Steelers and demanded a trade. Brown went from to the black and yellow to the black and silver in Oakland with a trade to the Raiders.

Brown would cause a ton of drama within the Raider organization. Including missing practices after getting frostbite after not using the correct footwear during a cryotherapy session, filing two grievances to the NFL for not being able to use his choiced helmet for the upcoming season even though the helmet was banned and even threatened to retire if he couldn't wear it, and missing a bunch of practices for the drama surrounding him. He would later be fined by GM Mike Mayock for unexcused absences and missing practice. Brown responded by posting the letter on social media and got into an altercation with Mayock and allegedly calling him a "cracker" and threatened to hit him. When the situation was calmed down, he punted a football and said "fine me for that".

Brown would apologize and it seemed like things may have calmed down between Brown and the Raiders organization. Until the day after his apology, Brown would demand a release from the Raiders for the organization voiding his guaranteed money on his contract. His wish would come true later that day and was even fined for his altercation with Mayock.

The same day he was released, Brown would be signed by the New England Patriots. However, before the season could start, Brown would receive allegations for sexual misconduct. Brown would still play week 2 against the Miami Dolphins getting the win and even a touchdown. Afterwards, the allegations would grow and with more evidence coming out, things weren't looking good for Brown and he would be released by New England before week 3. Brown would not play the rest of the year.

The whole offseason would not get any better for Antonio. He would lose multiple sponsors and even attacked a moving truck driver at his home with his trainer. The police had a warrant for Brown's arrest and was charged with battery and burglary. He would be put on probation for 2 years, had to undergo 100 hours of community service, go to anger management therapy for 13 weeks, and had to go through psychological evaluation.

Brown despite all this would be signed to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on November 3rd, 2020. Brown would be quiet throughout the season and even won his first Super Bowl trophy with the Bucs and even resigned with a 1-year contract. Brown's career looked to be revived going into 2021 but just when it looked to be all well, Brown would act out again.

Brown would violate COVID-19 protocols with a fake vaccine card and was suspended for 3 games. However, this wasn't it for Brown. During a week 17 game vs. the Jets, Brown would remove his football equipment and shirt and run off to the locker room after an altercation with HC Bruce Arians. During the postgame press conference, Arians would say Brown is no longer on the team. It would be said by Arians, he wanted Brown to go in the game but he refused and told Brown to leave. Antonio's side of the story claims he didn't go in because he had an injury to his foot which he would get surgery on.

Brown hasn't been signed since then and is currently a free agent. He has said he wants to retire a Steeler but Mike Tomlin doesn't wish to sign him. While it seems his NFL career may be over, let's hope Brown is doing well mentally and if he were to get resigned by another team, he succeeds -- or at least stay out of trouble.