Antonio Brown could be ready for his return to the NFL.
The former All-Pro wide receiver, who had messy exits with three teams in a matter of months between the end of the 2018 season and start of the 2019 season, took to Instagram this week to share a post that appeared to hint at another signing in the future. The post showed Brown wearing the jerseys of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Oakland Raiders, and New England Patriots, along with a caption saying “4X Soon.”
As The Spun noted, many took that as an indication that Brown was ready to sign with his fourth NFL team. The report noted that other NFL insiders believe there is still interest in Brown, despite his struggles with behavior issues and legal woes in recent months.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk noted that the Baltimore Ravens may be interested in signing him.
“The Ravens have kept the door open for Antonio Brown, and quarterback Lamar Jackson has publicly lobbied for the team to sign Brown,” Florio noted.
But Florio added that Brown has an uncertain future, as he still faces a potential suspension for violations of the league’s Personal Conduct Policy. The NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell have wide latitude to discipline players for off-the-field infractions, and Brown faces assault allegations as well as the public blowback from his messy split with the Raiders, where he took to social media to criticize the team and ask for his release.
If Brown does face a suspension, it would not go into effect until he signs with another team, meaning he could likely miss the start of the upcoming season if he’s added to a roster.
The cryptic Instagram post came just before Brown appeared to move beyond some of his latest legal troubles. As the USA Today’s TouchdownWire noted, Brown pleaded no contest to a battery case involving a moving truck driver he was accused of attacking near his Florida home. Brown was sentenced to two years probation and ordered to take a psychological evaluation as well as a 13-week anger management course. Brown must also complete 100 hours of community service.
Brown had originally been charged with felony burglary with assault or battery, burglary of an occupied conveyance, and criminal mischief for the January incident.
After the case came to an end, Brown’s advisor, Alana Burstyn, released a statement saying that “with this matter now resolved, Antonio looks forward to continuing his cooperation with the NFL and resuming his professional career.”
