Seth Udinski, FISM News
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Week 17 in the NFL brought significant clarity to the upcoming postseason picture, as numerous teams clinched a spot in the postseason. But the antics of one controversial wide receiver stole the spotlight, as Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Antonio Brown apparently quit in the middle of a game.
Brown is no stranger to controversy. He was a top-tier receiver for the Pittsburg Steelers for nearly a decade, but a sour attitude and a public feud with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger led to him being ran out of town. He bounced around several teams in the midst of abuse allegations before landing with Tampa Bay. It had appeared that his career had stabilized on a championship-caliber team led by superstar quarterback Tom Brady, as Brown was part of the 2020 squad that won Super Bowl LV.
Earlier this year, Brown was suspended by the league for falsifying his COVID-19 vaccine card. Then on Sunday during the middle of Tampa Bay’s 28-24 win over the New York Jets, TV cameras caught Brown storming off the field after an apparent disagreement on the Buccaneers’ bench. He ripped his gear and gloves off and threw them into the stands before jogging off the field shirtless.
Antonio Brown took his jersey off, threw it into the stands and walked off the field during the Bucs' game against the Jets 😳 @brgridiron pic.twitter.com/Ysl6wI59SD
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 2, 2022
During the game, fans were largely kept in the dark as to the situation. After the game head coach Bruce Arians provided only a little clarity, telling the media that Brown is no longer a member of the team.
He is no longer a Buc. That’s the end of the story. Let’s talk about the guys that went out there and won the game.
The Buccaneers are in the thick of a playoff chase that became much clearer following the week’s action. In the NFC, the Green Bay Packers (13-3) clinched the number 1 seed and a first-round bye after conquering their division rival Minnesota Vikings (7-9) 37-10 on Sunday Night Football. The red-hot Philadelphia Eagles (9-7) clinched a playoff spot, thanks to the Minnesota loss and their 20-16 win over the Washington Football Team (6-10).
Here is the NFC playoff picture entering week 18:
Updated NFC Playoff picture ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/QOpvfgmXws
— CBS Sports HQ (@CBSSportsHQ) January 3, 2022
Meanwhile in the AFC, the Cincinnati Bengals (10-6) clinched the AFC North title with a dramatic 34-31 win over the Kansas City Chiefs (11-5). The win also prevented the Chiefs from clinching the number 1 seed in the AFC. The Las Vegas Raiders (9-7) conquered the Indianapolis Colts (9-7) to stay alive in the AFC playoff hunt, and the Los Angeles Chargers (9-7) did the same, knocking out their division foe Denver Broncos (7-9).
Here is a look at the current AFC playoff picture:
A look at AFC playoff picture ahead of 'SNF' in Week 17 https://t.co/rHx9hbtU0N #Steelers pic.twitter.com/WVWZcWMlsO
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) January 3, 2022