Former Steelers WR Antonio Browns hints at retirement from NFL

Has Antonio Brown caught his last pass in the NFL, this time exiting the league on his own terms?

The former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, who turned 32 earlier this month, hinted at retirement in several cryptic posts he made Monday afternoon on his verified Twitter account.

“Is it time to walk away … I done everything in the game?” Brown wrote in his first post.

Is it time to walk away i done ✅ everything in the game ?!!

— AB (@AB84) July 20, 2020

Nothing definitive there. Five minutes later, he provided more clarity.

“At this point, the risk is greater than the reward thank you everyone who has been part of this journey I sincerely thank you for everything! Life goes on 84!”

at this point the risk is greater than the reward thank you everyone who been part of this journey i sincerely thank you for everything! life goes on 84!

— AB (@AB84) July 20, 2020

A few more minutes later, he offered this:

“I came i saw i conquered mission complete Call God.”

I came i saw i conquered mission complete Call God ??

— AB (@AB84) July 20, 2020

Brown seemed to be intent on playing another season just one week ago when he took to Twitter and wrote, “Gearing up to do it again AB2.0”

Apparently, he has had a change of heart, perhaps because he remains unsigned because of potential discipline he faces from the NFL or perhaps out of fears of contracting covid-19. It’s anybody’s guess.

Brown awaits punishment from the NFL on sexual and personal misconduct accusations he has faced, which led the New England Patriots – his most recent employer – to cut him last season after just one game. Brown threatened to retire at that time.

Brown recently settled a compensation grievance with the Patriots for a reported $5 million. Brown has earned nearly $76 million in his 10-year NFL career.

The Seattle Seahawks showed some interest in signing with Brown, who worked out this summer with quarterback Russell Wilson. But any team signing Brown would risk not having him for an undetermined amount of time because of his impending suspension.

Training camp begins for most teams July 28.

If Brown truly is done with football, he will exit as one of the greatest wide receivers in Steelers history and of his generation. He ranks second on the franchise’s all-time list with 837 catches, 11,207 yards and 74 touchdowns.

He holds Steelers records for touchdown catches in a season (15), career 100-yard receiving games (42), single-season catches (136) and yards (1,834). He also holds the NFL record for most receptions over a six-year span and a seven-year span.

Brown, though, wore out his welcome with the Steelers late in the 2018 season. A spat with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger led to Brown leaving a walkthrough early prior to the final game of the season. Brown was ruled inactive and left Heinz Field at halftime of the finale against Cincinnati.

The Steelers traded Brown to the Oakland Raiders on March 9, 2019, but he never played a meaningful game for the silver and black. In training camp, when the NFL wouldn’t permit Brown to wear his old helmet out of health concerns, he threatened to retire.

Brown had several other transgressions with the Raiders that prompted the team to void the guaranteed portion of his contract. Brown was granted his release Sept. 7, and he signed with New England hours later.

On Brown’s third day with the Patriots, his former trainer, Britney Taylor, filed a lawsuit alleging he sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions. Brown sent threatening texts to Taylor, prompting the Patriots to release Brown. Her case remains unsettled.

In January, Brown had an altercation with a delivery truck driver at his home in Hollywood, Fla. He was charged with felony burglary of a vehicle, misdemeanor battery and misdemeanor criminal mischief. In June, he plead no contest and received two years of probation while agreeing to undergo 100 hours of community service and attend a 13-week anger management program.