“These guys tried to make an agreement to give me $200K to go to the Crazy House”: Antonio Brown blasts claims that he needed mental help as talks of a defamation lawsuit surface

Antonio Brown and his situation with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers seems to escalate by the day as we’re entering potential lawsuit territory now. 

Brown and the Buccaneers organization have been in a battle ever since the former Bucs wide receiver had one of the strangest moments in NFL history. As you probably remember, Brown walked off the field mid-way through a game, throwing his jersey and shirt into the stands, prompting his release from the team.

Initially, it seemed like Brown did this out of nowhere as head coach Bruce Arians claimed the move came without any warning. However, Brown then gave his own take on the situation and that’s when things became interesting.

AB claimed that Arians was making him play through injury and when he refused, Arians told him to ‘get the f**k out’, and in retaliation, Brown stormed off the field. People also suspected that Brown was going through a mental health episode, but he seems to very defiantly refute that claim.

Also Read: “I should be grateful for Tom Brady like if it was Kobe Bryant calling Nick Young”: Antonio Brown admits he should have respect for the NFL GOAT for taking him in when nobody else would

Antonio Brown and his lawyer believe a defamation lawsuit could be in the work

The talk about Brown going through a mental health episode is especially interesting in this back and forth because Brown and his lawyer, Sean Burstyn, believe it could result in a defamation lawsuit. Appearing on an episode of HBO’s Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel that’s premiering later tonight, Brown and Burstyn gave a sneak peek of what’s to come to Gumbel.

The dialogue went something like this:

ANTONIO BROWN: Yeah, these guys at Tampa Bay Bucs tried to make an agreement with me to give me $200,000 to go to the crazy house so these guys could look like they know what they’re talking about.

BRYANT GUMBEL: They offered you $200,000 for what?

SEAN BURSTYN: The off– the offer was Antonio would basically sit on the sidelines, go on some list– and commit himself to some form of intensive mental health treatment. And we were specifically told, in writing, by the general manager, twice, “Don’t spin this any other way.”

Gumbel then inquired about the potential lawsuit:

BRYANT GUMBEL: Are you suggesting–that a defamation lawsuit is– is possible?

SEAN BURSTYN: Defamation comes to mind.

BRYANT GUMBEL: Your figures, give me a number.

ANTONIO BROWN: A whole lotta money. A whole lot. It’s– it’s totally disrespect, man. You know, it’s– mental health is an important key in the world, so to drag people along and play on people’s mental health, you know, it’s– it’s unfair and unfortunate.

You can watch the preview here:

More details need to emerge on this situation, but it’s still crazy to think about that the Bucs may have offered Brown a substantial amount of money to seek mental help when he perhaps didn’t need it. This whole situation is a lot of ‘he-said, he-said’ right now between Arians and Brown and until we know more, it’s hard to make a judgment on who’s right.

Also Read: “The ‘bad man’ no longer applies to Aaron Rodgers”: Stephen A Smith blasts Packers QB after ‘worst loss of his career’ against 49ers