Antonio Brown has been a differentiator for the Buccaneers since his Tampa Bay debut in Week 9. Will it be available for Super Bowl 55? That’s one of the big questions in Sunday’s game.
The 32-year-old, who missed the first eight weeks of the regular season after the NFL suspended him for violating the league’s code of conduct, missed the NFC championship game with a knee injury. Brown would likely have canceled a competition scheduled for Jan. 31, but luckily for the Bucs, the extra recovery time could allow him to come back against the Chiefs.
Brown isn’t the same hitter as he was in his prime in Pittsburgh, but his presence alone would be valuable in a Tampa Bay crime that also involves Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Scotty Miller. You can never have too much firepower when facing Kansas City.
Here’s everything we know about Brown’s status ahead of the Super Bowl.
MORE: Antonio Brown and 8 Others Who Can Win First Super Bowl Ring
Will Antonio Brown play Chiefs?
Buccaneer’s trainer Bruce Arians told reporters that Brown was restricted in practice on Wednesday. Tampa Bay collateral Jordan Whitehead (shoulder / knee) and Antoine Winfield Jr. (ankle) were also capped.
“You have about half an exercise,” said Arians. “Most of them looked pretty good. We’ll see how the swelling goes tomorrow at AB for sure. … Jordan was wearing a non-contact jersey, but he was flying around and looking pretty good.”
During his media availability on Wednesday, Brown did not offer anything in particular, but said the “arrow is pointing up”.
Antonio Brown on his knee and his recovery: “The arrow points up as the week unfolds.”
– Greg Auman (@gregauman) February 3, 2021
Brown was originally listed as “doubtful” in Bucs’ Super Bowl Injury Report, but obviously that label could change as he continues to make progress.
What is Antonio Brown’s injury?
Brown injured his knee while the Buccaneers won the divisional round against the Saints and underwent an MRI. He was considered “commonplace” but then missed the NFC championship game against the Packers. It wasn’t clear when or how he suffered the injury, but television cameras showed Brown hobbling on the sidelines.
Antonio Brown 2020 statistics
Despite jumping on the offensive mid-season, Brown finished first on the team for receptions per game, third for overall receptions, and fourth for goals. He quickly won the trust of Tom Brady, and that connection only grew stronger as Brown gained more opportunities within the Tampa Bay system.
“Antonio and I bonded immediately,” Brady said of his relationship with Brown. “He has a great love for the game. [He’s] A real perfectionist about how he plays, how he takes care of himself, incredible soccer IQ and then a great skill that he only possesses as a player. I think [he’s] has made incredible strides in the past 12 months in getting from its location to its current location. “
| Receptions | 45 |
| Yards | 483 |
| Touchdowns | 4th |
| Shipyards / reception | 10.7 |
| Receptions / game | 5.6 |
| Yards / game | 60.4 |
| aims | 62 |
| Long | 46 |
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