Back when the Steelers traded Antonio Brown to the Raiders, fans expected the elite wide receiver to finally enhance their passing and ball-carrying game. Unfortunately for HC Jon Gruden, this much-coveted prospect turned out to be one of the most disastrous signings, as Brown ended up getting released in the preseason. Five years later, Gruden still doesn’t fondly recall the messy breakup.
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In his latest appearance on “Pardon My Take,” Jon admitted that dealing with the Antonio Brown saga at the Raiders was one of the toughest moments in his coaching career. He also revealed that his decision to sign Brown undertook a lot of effort in film watching and discussions with Brown’s former coaches.
Gruden’s belief in AB was only strengthened during the initial training camp visits, where Brown’s work ethic made the HC think that they would be unbeatable that season. Unfortunately, Brown acted his usual self and tossed Jon’s efforts aside.
“That was probably one of the more disappointing things that I had to go through as a coach. I studied Antonio when I went and watched the Steelers practice… The work ethic, the practice etiquette, the conditioning of this man, the route running… Good God.”
“He came to our mini-camp, and he put on a display when he was on the grass for us… I really thought we were gonna win every game,” he continued.
But why did things go wrong between the Raiders and Brown? For those out of context, Brown, who had signed with the Raiders on March 9th, 2019, asked for his release on September 7th, right before the season opener against the Broncos.
To make matters worse, his preseason stint with the Raiders was remarkably strange, as he missed almost the entirety of training camp for reasons that were arguably bizarre.
From burning his foot during cryotherapy to threatening retirement for being disallowed by the league from using his old helmet, Brown became a living embodiment of a PR nightmare for the Raiders. The final nail in the coffin, however, came when Brown crossed all lines in a verbal altercation with GM Mike Mayock.
The altercation between the duo grew so intense that teammates had to hold back Brown to control the situation. Adding to this were unexcused absences and contract disagreements, leading to Brown being removed from the Raiders’ setup before the 2019 season began.
As an HC, dealing with such intense madness and drama in the preseason is incredibly tough. Interestingly enough, Brown’s madness didn’t stop him from getting a gig with the New England Patriots.
How did Antonio Brown end up with the New England Patriots?
For someone who managed to get the best out of Randy Moss, Corey Dillon, and LeGarrette Blount after they were unanimously written off, former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick aimed to do the same with Antonio Brown.
“It’s the same thing you said about Randy Moss when we brought him in,” Belichick said, addressing the press questioning his decision to sign Brown.
Unfortunately, Belichick was wrong in this instance. As we now know, AB84’s legal troubles prevented Belichick from completing his human reclamation project.
That said, it’s hard to blame Belichick for giving his best shot at getting Brown’s career back on track. If one overlooks the controversies, it’s hard to name a better wide receiver than the No. 84 back then.
Moreover, whenever he showed up to practice, his work ethic was never in question. Unfortunately, the universe didn’t allow Brown to flourish under either Belichick or Gruden.
