Bruce Arians Takes The High Road When Discussing Antonio Brown
May 29th, 2022
Gets props from old coach.
Former Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians had to know this was coming.
Last week, Arians did a radio spot on KDKA-FM 93.7 in Pittsburgh to promote a football camp in the Steel City named after his former offensive line coach at Temple, the late Joe Moore. Arians’ old comrade was a long-time coach at Notre Dame and Pitt and helped develop some of the game’s greatest linemen.
So Arians, a former Steelers offensive coordinator, had to know that appearing on Pittsburgh radio would lead to him being asked about topless jumping jacks-exercising, V-card forging, quitter Antonio Brown. The mercurial receiver had his best years playing for Pittsburgh, and Arians coached Brown for two seasons there.
Instead of unloading on Brown or revisiting the scene of the crime, where Brown quit on the Bucs in the third quarter of a January come-from-behind win over the Jets, Arians propped up Brown to co-hosts Ron Cook and Joe Starkey.
“Great player,” Arians began. “Great player. Practices hard and plays as hard as anybody I ever coached. I wish him well.
“He had a great — a big, big part in us getting that ring. The next season, obviously, didn’t work out so well. He was a big, big part in us winning the championship.”
Arians ignored Brown’s stunts. As if they never happened and Brown was such a model citizen you didn’t know he existed.
It’s probably smart of Arians to only speak of Brown’s positive traits on a popular sports radio station in the city where Brown became a star and likely still has many, many fans,
Arians was pressed to give his take on what changed with Brown between Arians’ time with the Steelers and Brown quitting on the Bucs. In a roundabout way, Arians speculated that becoming a star receiver, perhaps the league’s best receiver, may have played with Brown’s head.
For Joe, Brown is a dirtbag quitter, that’s all there is to it. Joe could put up with a lot of Brown’s stunts for the greater Bucs good, but quitting in the middle of a January game on a team deep in a playoff chase was Joe’s final straw.
Brown cost the Bucs a second-straight Super Bowl and a lot of guys money (how many of Brown’s teammates do you think had Super Bowl bonus clauses in their contracts?). Additionally, Arians’ chance at the Pro Football Hall of Fame went up in smoke when Brown ran out of the tunnel of MetLife Stadium.
You read that right: Brown cost the Bucs the team’s third Super Bowl win. And Joe will take that belief to the grave.
May 29th, 2022 at 12:11 am
That’s him leaving the light on for AB lol
May 29th, 2022 at 12:12 am
Rams barely won that game.
If Brown had suited up we would have won.
May 29th, 2022 at 12:19 am
Totally agree, with Brown in the lineup after Godwin went down we win the Rams playoff game and beat the Niners and Bengals. I truly believe Arians refusing to coddle Brown led to the fallout between he and Brady. TB12 knew with Brown they win the SB and he blamed Arians for being a hardliner and not. trying to aquiese his target demands. Not sure many coaches wouldn’t have done the same thing but it is what it is.
May 29th, 2022 at 12:41 am
Please stop with articles on the sh!tbag former guy who quit on the team. I do not care.
May 29th, 2022 at 12:44 am
I’m with Joe here. And also – when you have high standards for your people, and these Buc players have shown to be good citizens, you can’t tolerate what AB was doing. He was already gone in his own mind and if not then, maybe in practice the following week or in a playoff game. Remember his texting with the Fangirl – “watch what I do tomorrow-“
Yeah . Can’t coddle a player like that. Hard decisions are made by tough and great leaders. Grayson and Tyler rose up. If Grayson had been healthy for the Rams game, or Permian, it might also have turned out different. Neither was.
May 29th, 2022 at 12:45 am
He has a fairly long history of quitting. He’ll do it again.
May 29th, 2022 at 1:01 am
Sasquatch
You are done with the brady articles too
Hang in there bud. Life is tough for yah
May 29th, 2022 at 2:34 am
It was unfortunate but the Bucs got their moneys worth for sure. Arians did nothing wrong during that game and it was correct to fire him off the team afterward–just can’t let that craziness loose in the lockerroom. Arians will be in ring of honor that will be cool!–Hope we don’t wait long.
May 29th, 2022 at 2:35 am
Please let’s not talk about what could’ve, would’ve, or should’ve happened had BA catered to AB in the middle of a battle, “BS”. U never abandon ur fellow soldier in the middle of a battle. Had he been in the military hands down, he would’ve been branded n court martial. A spoiled brat who pouts when things don’t go his way so he runs in the tunnel doing jumping jackasses. He’s a game changer alright, he had his final game changed forever. Poof, be gone!
May 29th, 2022 at 2:51 am
What would amaze me is the team that picks him up this year and thinks they can reel him in. Like others said you can’t quit on your team like he did it’s the ultimate sin and especially over a “lack of targets.” Maybe that hit from Burfect caused Brown to have these meltdowns but I lean towards him just being a self centered Diva who cares only about himself.
May 29th, 2022 at 5:51 am
Hopefully he never plays another down of nfl football and doesn’t ever get into canton
May 29th, 2022 at 6:25 am
sasquatch Says:
Please stop with articles on the sh!tbag former guy who quit on the team. I do not care
Are you talking about Brown or Bruce Arrogance?
May 29th, 2022 at 6:43 am
Proud girl and her one track mind. Congratulations, girl!
May 29th, 2022 at 7:03 am
The time to have taken the high road and ignored Brown’s antics was on Week 17. Instead Arians emotions took over and he escalated. The Bucs were already minus Godwin, and on the verge of the postseason, Evans was dealing with a hamstring injury (a slow-healing type of injury). While Brown was acting crazy, you don’t deal with crazy by acting crazy. With that unbalanced reaction, Arians doomed this team for the eve of the postseason.
May 29th, 2022 at 7:51 am
We lost to the Rams because our defense couldn’t stop them. Don’t give AB that kind of credit he doesn’t deserve. We didn’t and don’t have a Super Bowl caliber defense.
May 29th, 2022 at 7:51 am
Joe, you need to stop sugar coating it and tell us how you really feel about the Brown situation.
May 29th, 2022 at 8:34 am
The last time I checked AB doesn’t play defensive back…….that game can’t be blamed on any one player…..how about the missed FG…..that 3 points would have given us a win.
May 29th, 2022 at 9:14 am
Why is there any need for Arians to say negative things? Well handled.
Honestly, I hope someone brings AB in. His talent is still unbelievable. He makes a team instantly better. He just has to be handled and he may meltdown.
If you want the most skilled WR group, he can add to it. Atlanta or Indy should sign him.
May 29th, 2022 at 10:00 am
Right .. Anyone who thinks AB is not playing football in Tampa this year if the going gets rough is just simply not paying attention.
May 29th, 2022 at 10:03 am
James…. 😂 😂 😂. Clueless. AB quit on more than one team now. He’s not playing anywhere anymore. Do you see a team that signed him? Do you see them lining up at his door as he’s trying to become a rapper? He’s a joke
May 29th, 2022 at 10:03 am
When Godwin went down, I knew our chances dropped drastically. When brown went down I knew we were done… when we got matched up with the Rams, it was over. But when Tommy started to pull the comeback out of his ass, I had one last drop or hope lol and then Cooper killed me
May 29th, 2022 at 11:34 am
Totally agree Joe with the fact he cost us another SB. AB is deff one of the best WR to play the game. His foot work route running n hands are just undeniable n unbelievable along with his work ethic which is TB12 like. It does really suck that his head is all jacked up. Best of luck to him. I hope he gets the mental help he needs. Quitting on the Bucs mid game deff makes me dislike him but this too shall pass
May 29th, 2022 at 11:38 am
Passing thru not arians fault at all. I wanna see you show up to work then just peace out half way through n see if you still have a job n believe me I’d fire your arse if you or anyone else that works for me did this garbage. Don’t be a snowflake
May 29th, 2022 at 1:22 pm
#1buc – bravo brother! I just said “right on” out loud in the car while my wife drives. She’s like, “what?!”
May 29th, 2022 at 2:11 pm
Well maybe BA is arrogant but no SB without him. Rather have BA than AB.
May 29th, 2022 at 2:20 pm
All class, Bruce. Love that dude.
Cheers, B.A. — this Bud Light is for you.
🍺 🍻
May 29th, 2022 at 3:08 pm
Goat farmer 🤣😂🤣
May 29th, 2022 at 3:24 pm
Was a big mistake by AB to behave the way he did. However an even bigger mistake by BA for putting accelerant on the situation on the sideline. Great receivers do not grow on trees and the Bucs needed AB
May 29th, 2022 at 3:36 pm
Hi. Packers fan here. Please do not kill me.
Im just here to point out that AB has recently been making statements that imply that he will not be playing in the NFL next year. He is framing it as his own decision and that he has accomplished enough enough as a player — that he’s walking away… 🤔
😂😂😂😭😭😭
He sure did walk away, alright. The dude’s insane. First he walks away, then he complains that he’s done, now he’s making out like it was a calculated decision…
Poor fella.
May 29th, 2022 at 3:41 pm
Anyone here who thinks AB didn’t deserve to be kicked off the team has no regard for team dynamics. You can’t keep disruptive quitting turds on the roster without it trickling down and impacting the locker room. That a-hole has been kicked off every team he’s been on. Keep him around and he makes you his b!tch. Nobody is bigger than the team, I don’t care how good a player they are.
May 29th, 2022 at 4:17 pm
Pass d was the nail in the coffin. Bad coaching there. Brady could have won wo AB. He did in Green Bay and New Orleans.
May 29th, 2022 at 6:12 pm
@1#bucsfan
I aspire to be more like you, Internet tough guy and two- fisted manager supreme. I am looking for an enterprise sales director to run a few associates. Can you send me your resume? I’m sure your managerial brio is what we need.
May 29th, 2022 at 7:55 pm
BA could’ve said “next question” and that would’ve been the high road, this is Antonio Brown we’re talking about.
May 29th, 2022 at 8:23 pm
PassingThru — tell your boss that an internet football forum is not a great place to recruit talent. Oh and make sure her coffee mug is full.