Former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, Antonio Brown always seems to be in the news. During the 12 years he spent in the NFL, mostly in Pittsburgh, he made a name for himself on and off the field and is widely considered the Steelers' all-time best receiver.
Photo Credit: AP Photo / Keith Srakocic
Steelers' former wide receiver, Antonio Brown, is back in the news again.
Brown, who won a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was named to seven Pro Bowls and was a four-time All-Pro. He led the league in multiple categories including receptions and receiving yards.
Unfortunately, Brown's legacy has been tarnished by the drama and chaos he seems to bring to everything he touches. While the tales of Brown's actions are too numerous to list here, they make it very difficult for people to take him seriously.
This is unfortunate because, in his new role, he needs to be taken seriously. Brown is the majority owner of the Albany Empire, an Arena Football League team. However, his string of confusing behaviors is continuing.
Since Brown has taken over the team, there have been all kinds of accusations. These include disputes over ownership, not paying his players, threatening a security guard at his facility, player fistfights, player suspensions, the firing of coaches, and defection by players.
Brown has also had personal issues as well, including legal troubles for child support arrearages and failure to pay for jewelry he ordered. Brown has even changed his name and renounced his American citizenship, saying he is his own sovereign nation.
Former Steelers Wide Receiver Antonio Brown May Have A New Partner
Now Brown may be partnering up with another ex-NFL player with a bit of a reputation, Cam Newton. Newton spent 11 seasons in the NFL, mostly for the Carolina Panthers.
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Former Carolina QB Cam Newton might be joining Brown in Albany.
Newton is no stranger to drama, however, nowhere near Brown's level. But he started young, embroiled in an eligibility controversy in college at the University of Auburn. Newton, who won the Heisman Trophy at Auburn, was the first pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.
Newton is as well known for his outlandish outfits as Brown is for his outlandish actions, and now the two might join forces. The last season Newton played was in 2021 when he came back to Carolina to fill in when his replacement, Sam Darnold, was injured.
Newton performed inconsistently and wasn't asked to return in 2022. He has publicly said that he believes the reason he is no longer in the NFL is because of the length of his hair. However, the reality is that Newton is no longer in the NFL because he is not starter material anymore and he is not willing to just be a backup. His critics say he is too prone to injury and too inconsistent with his passing to start.
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Cam Newton is well known for his wild fashion sense.
But Brown may not agree with that. According to Rodger Wyland of News Channel 13 in Albany, New York, Brown contacted Newton about joining the team. This comes on the heels of Brown telling the media that he is ready to take the field to help his team out himself.
The report said, "Sources tell Wyland that Brown has been in contact with the former NFL quarterback Cam Newton about joining the Empire in some capacity."
This would have the two men, both 34, possibly on the field together perhaps as soon as May 27 or June 17.
While it is true that Brown did not specifically say he wanted him as a quarterback, their egos make it hard to imagine a different scenario. Both fully believe they are ready, willing, and able to play in the NFL again. It seems unlikely Newton would want to come to take a position as a consultant or coach for an Arena League team. Not when there are rumors that Brown isn't paying his assistants already, surely he can't need money that badly.
It is also difficult to see what Newton has to gain from this display. He has made it known that he would like to return to the NFL and with only being a season out from actual playing, it is still possible. Veteran quarterbacks aren't a dime a dozen and Newton was an NFL MVP. He did play in three Pro Bowls as well.
Meanwhile, the people of Albany are sick of the chaos. Attendance at Empire games is dropping. It is sad, this is a team that once led the Arena League in fan numbers.
It is ill-advised to say the word "impossible" in the same sentence as these two names, you just never know. But if you have Newton throwing the ball to Brown on a football field on your 2023 bingo card, you might get lucky.
What do you make of all of this? Do you think Brown will actually play? Any chance Newton will join him? Click to comment below.
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