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https://scmp.com/sport/article/3161890/antonio-brown-antics-spark-instant-meme-gags-coach-says-he-no-longer-buc
Sport

Antonio Brown antics spark instant meme gags, coach says he is ‘no longer a Buc’ after shirtless on-field outburst

  • The Buccaneers wide receiver removed his uniform and pads before leaving the field topless in the middle of the third quarter
  • Brown had been on a three-game suspension for using a fraudulent Covid-19 vaccine card
Antonio Brown leaves the field after throwing his equipment into the stands. Photo: AP

Twitter can be an unforgiving place and Antonio Brown’s latest on-field outburst has not only cost him his job, but proved to be fertile ground for all the would-be comedians out there.

Less than two weeks after the end of his three-game suspension for using a fraudulent Covid-19 vaccine card, the Buccaneers wide receiver removed his uniform and pads before leaving the field of play topless in the middle of the third quarter as his team trailed the New York Jets.

Cue Twitter memes.

“He is no longer a Buc,” coach Bruce Arians told reporters after the game. “That’s the end of the story.”

Pressed for more information about the incident, Arians said he would not talk about Brown and reiterated he was no longer a member of the Buccaneers.

Buccaneers staffers and others on the sideline appeared confused as Brown stripped. Brown then threw his undershirt into the MetLife Stadium crowd and did jumping jacks before signalling to the fans in the end zone on his walk to the tunnel.

The Buccaneers offered no immediate update on Brown’s availability for the rest of the game. Brown has a long history of clashes with his past teams. Upon signing the troubled wideout last season, Arians voiced that Brown would be on a short leash.

After Brown’s Covid-19 suspension, Arians and the Buccaneers welcomed the four-time All-Pro back to aid an injured receiving corps.

Soon after he left the field, Brown left a cryptic message for his six million fans.

“Thanks for the opportunity,” he wrote.

Quarterback Tom Brady, who has advocated for Brown in the past, targeted the receiver five times on Sunday. Brown had three catches for 26 yards, one week after he caught 10 passes for 101 yards.

Without Brown, Brady led the Buccaneers on a last-minute drive with no timeouts to take the lead and complete a signature comeback victory, 28-24.