Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown will give his first television interview since the team released him to Bryant Gumbel on Tuesday night’s edition of HBO Real Sports.
In a preview clip released by the network, Brown — with his lawyer present beside him — told Gumbel that team doctors gave him a shot of the pain-killer toradol before the game against the Carolina Panthers in Week 16 and before the game against the New York Jets in Week 17.
By Brown’s account, the drug made him unable to feel the damage being done to his injured ankle until he could no longer play. At that point, lawyer Sean Burstyn said, Bucs coach Bruce Arians told him to leave the field — which led to Brown’s high-profile, shirtless exit.
MORE:Antonio Brown wants to catch passes from Lamar Jackson, and the Ravens QB seems into the idea
NEVER MISS A SNAP:Sign up for our NFL newsletter for exclusive content
Gumbel brought up the suggestion that Brown instead left the field because he wasn’t getting enough passes thrown in his direction.
“It’s not worrying about the ball,” he replied. “(Quarterback) Tom Brady is my guy. He’s the reason I’m on Tampa Bay so I know I’m going to get the ball.”