Antonio Brown Gets Kicked Out of a Joint Practice for Ripping a Defender's Helmet Off and Bruce Arians Covers for Him. Now it's Officially Football Season.
Like they say in every Turner Classic Movie where cowboys or soldiers are dug in waiting for an attack from outlaws or Germans, it's been quiet out there. Too quiet.
Antonio Brown has been a model citizen since the day he was signed by the Buccaneers last year. When he's not busy working on his Eagle Scout project, he's volunteering to read to children, delivering care packages to the needy and clearing the table after dinner so mom can stay off her feet because she's been working so hard. He's been the Gallant to his own previous Goofus. Which either means Tom Brady really does possess magical healing powers that can fix any broken person, Brown truly has changed is own basic nature in his 30s, or he's simply repressed his natural tendencies and is still the same selfish, self-possessed narcissist he always was.
Based on the fact Brown violated the Prime Directive of joint practices and started throwing knucks at a Titans second year depth guy who was taken 243rd in the draft a year ago tells me he's starting to revert to form.
And Jackson wasn't the only Titans defensive back to be on the business end of one of Brown's hissy fits. Just the only one to almost get decapitated:
So naturally, Bruce Arians, who has previously bad experiences with Brown in Pittsburgh, publicly stated he didn't want to coach him again in Tampa and was outvoted by his combination QB/GM/HC of TBBs, was livid. Embarrassed in front of Mike Vrabel to have a veteran running around starting schoolyard fights with sophomores, and determined to show the world he won't tolerate such misbehavior. That the situation calls for him to be No More Mr. Nice Coach and he's putting his foot down.
Naaahhh …
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And there you have it. Proof positive that Arians is just a figurehead now. That ever since Brady took over his offense and his team, he's been along for the ride and has no desire to make waves by calling out one of his boss' inexplicably favorite teammates. Brady did everything but go over in the middle of a game and cut the cord on Arians' headset last year. But going along for the ride made him a Super Bowl champion and he's not about to start standing up for himself now.
Good luck with that. Because Antonio Brown doesn't have a great history with coaches who tolerate his behaviors in order to keep him happy and productive. Just ask Mike Tomlin, Jon Gruden and Bill Belichick. Hell, ask Arians himself. This is how it begins. A couple of minor scrapes in practices get excused this time. And it's only going to lead to bigger and worser things, I promise you.