Antonio Brown Throws Shade at Tom Brady’s Friendship: He’s ‘My Friend Because I’m a Good Football Player’

Brandon ContesJan 7th, 2022, 2:22 pm
 
Antonio Brown smears friendship with Tom Brady

Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Antonio Brown’s not being fooled by Tom Brady. The wide receiver claims he knows exactly why Brady befriended him in recent years.

“To me, a friend is someone who’s got your back,” Brown told The Full Send Podcast, via ESPN’s Kimberley Martin. “Not everybody in sports is going to be your friend. Tom Brady’s my friend why? Because I’m a good football player. He needs me to play football.”

Brady lured Brown to play with him in New England for the 2019 NFL season. But Brown’s brief tenure with the Patriots ended after just one game, as the wide receiver found himself involved in off-the-field legal trouble.

When Brady moved to Tampa Bay, he brought Brown with him and the two won a Super Bowl together during their first season. But year two ended tumultuously, with Brown stripping off his uniform and quitting on the Bucs midgame against the New York Jets.

“Brady is the general manager,” Brown said. “He’s the guy my agent made the contract with, he’s the middleman and politician. I talked to Tom and he knows I’m not going to play.”

Some analysts and insiders believe it was the contract that caused Brown to have his outburst. Brown’s deal was incentive-laden and the wide receiver was frustrated by not getting the ball enough to ensure he reached up to $2 million in bonuses.

Brady has said he has “a lot of personal feelings” about Brown and hopes his ex-teammate is able to get the help he needs. But Brown’s camp remains steadfast that his hasty exit from Tampa has nothing to do with mental health or incentives and everything to do with the receiver’s injured ankle.

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