The Immaculate Extension continues to live on for Antonio Brown in Tampa Bay.

No, not the lean-over-the-goal-line touchdown that won a division championship for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Christmas 2016, perhaps the defining moment of Brown’s nine-year tenure wearing black-and-gold.

The extension the 32-year-old Brown is experiencing these days pertains to his NFL career. And while it might not be entirely immaculate, his second act in the NFL so far has been impeccable.

And super.

Unwanted and unemployed little more than three months ago, while his former team was chugging along with a perfect record, Brown is one win away from earning his first Super Bowl ring, a cruel twist of fate for Steelers fans whose team bowed out in the wild-card round.

Known for his petulant behavior on the field and in the locker room and his spate of legal problems away from football in recent years, Brown has been a model citizen in his short time with the Buccaneers after signing a one-year contract in October.

He hasn’t pouted when not targeted for a pass. He hasn’t clashed with his quarterback or offensive coordinator. He hasn’t been, well, the A.B. of old, the diva wide receiver who emerged out of an overachieving sixth-round draft pick from Central Michigan.

On a Super Bowl conference call Wednesday, Brown used words like “grateful” and “appreciative” to describe being given a chance to resume his career in Tampa Bay following an eight-game NFL suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. It began with Brown’s late-season antics in 2018 that led to his trade from the Steelers to his release from Oakland before playing a regular-season game with the Raiders to his release from the New England Patriots after one game when sexual misconduct accusations emerged.

“It’s been a long journey over the course of a year and a half,” Brown said. “Scrutiny, adversity, you name it, I’ve been through it. But it didn’t stop me. It didn’t make me want to give up. I just got persistent, made a plan, wrote down my goals and set intentions of what I wanted out of my life.

“I took a step back, had to refocus, put out a plan, prayed on it and went out and did it.”

He was coerced to Tampa Bay by quarterback Tom Brady, who spent only a few weeks with Brown in New England in 2019 but was willing to offer another chance to the All-Pro threat. It led to the Bucs signing Brown near the end of his suspension.

“Antonio and I connected right away,” Brady said Wednesday. “He has a great love for the game. He’s a perfectionist about how he plays, how he takes care of himself, he has an incredible football IQ and then a great skill set as a player. He’s made incredible strides the last 12 months to get from where he was at to where he is now.”

With Tampa Bay, Brown joined a team that already had capable starting wide receivers in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, plus a stretch-the-field threat in Scotty Miller. Adding a player with Brown’s reputation could have impacted the locker room chemistry.

“These guys really embraced me,” Brown said. “They didn’t let words on the street or what they heard about me (affect them). They took me in. … The coaching staff has welcomed me with open arms.”

Per his reinstatement, Brown has been ordered to continue counseling and treatment. Any more violations could result in a stiffer penalty by the NFL.

“This was my only chance to prove to the doubters and prove to myself that I’m still a high-end football player,” Brown said. “I still love the game, still love to compete. Never gave up or gave in. I stayed persistent to my goals and my vision. I’m here right now, and I’m ready.”

Brown contributed 45 catches, 483 yards and four touchdowns in eight games with the Bucs. Coach Bruce Arians thought enough of Brown’s attitude that he told Brady to get the receiver three catches late in the regular-season finale against Atlanta. It triggered a $250,000 bonus for Brown, who has earned $1.25 million with the Bucs. A win in the Super Bowl will give him an additional $750,000 bonus even if he doesn’t play because of a knee injury that kept Brown out of the NFC championship game.

Brown said he continues to keep in touch with some of his former Steelers teammates, including coach Mike Tomlin, whom he said remains “a leader for me, he’ll always be there for me.”

Brown understands he didn’t always display such maturity in his days with the Steelers – or even in the months before his arrival in Tampa Bay.

“It’s all about controlling emotions – physically and mentally when you don’t feel good,” he said. “Don’t be a slingshot when others come at me. It’s learning how to control my attitude, not letting my emotions get the best of me.”

Brown has kept his social media interactions professional and free of controversy. He has approached practice and his playing time the same way.

“It’s being humble, making the most of my opportunities and channeling my emotions, Brown said. “As a player, you know what you are capable of and you can get a little excited and want to do more. I had to understand when I came here to be excited and grateful for any opportunity I had, whether it was two plays or 20 plays. For me, it’s staying ready and not knowing how many chances I might get.”

One more screw-up – an arrest, lawsuit or distraction to the team – could ruin the dream scenario that Brown has envisioned for his career. He was asked what he type of legacy he would like to leave behind in the NFL.

“I want my legacy to be the guy that was persistent, the guy who never gave up no matter the odds, no matter the hate, no matter the scrutiny, no matter what I went through,” he said. “I want my legacy to be a sixth-round kid from Central Michigan that never gave up, earned everything he got, persevered through every adversity and a guy who had the will of a champion.”

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