Alright, well,
the biggest story in the NFL is the behavior of wide receiver
Antonio Brown in the middle of the buccaneers win over the Jets,
this past sunday Brown took off his pads and his jersey
before running off the field.
It is just the latest chapter in what's been a tumultuous past few years
for the seven time pro bowler.
Well, joining me now is Lester ricard,
junior sports commentator and former NFL quarterback Lester
thanks so much for coming on the show
as we've seen this incident multiple times here at Metlife Stadium on sunday.
We've just seen videos of it
is what I'm referring to, but what was your reaction when you saw what was unfolding?
I think I was like the rest of the country just shocking off to watch
a guy who's had such a,
a graceful career.
You know, about three or four years ago, Antonio Brown, his career was,
was trending towards a Hall of Famer, one of the best wide receivers of all time
and to watch them kind of,
I don't know if he's self imploding or whatever is going on with him.
Um it's really been an implosion over the last four
years since the incident in which he called Ben Roethlisberger racist
and I don't think anybody has ever made that claim before.
Uh, and then you watch him what he did in,
in Oakland with the Raiders and how that exit
was so ugly and having a week in New England
and now leading up to this really tells you
that there's something going on with Antonio Brown that,
you know, listen, you know, we, as professional athletes,
we have the greatest egos, the highest level of confidence in ourselves.
But
um you know, you know, when, when our confidence is rattled by anything,
it could throw everything off and so whatever Antonio Brown is dealing with,
I'm praying, just like everybody else in this circle,
he'll be able to get it together.
Um we've seen Antonio Brown be part of four different teams just since 2018.
Any insight here Lester as to what might be going on?
Well honestly,
I don't think he's been the same since rex birthday
hit him in the game against the Cincinnati Bengals,
some years back when he was concussed and knocked out the game and on the stretcher,
I don't think Antonio Brown has been the same since.
And um I don't want to, you know,
start some type of conversation where he's got some type of post
stress or some PSD or something like that, but he hasn't been the same.
Um and I don't know if
you know, his whole
mentality change and maybe there's a
something going on, but
you know, Antonio Brown, I'll tell you this,
he's one of the most exciting football players we've ever had,
International Football League and everything you've heard about him,
his work that I think it's great,
he's a great practice player when he comes to work between those lines,
that nobody gives more and more to the football team than he does,
but it's so unfortunate to see what happens sunday
because we might not ever see Antonio Brown again,
the NFL and you know, obviously it's the National Football League,
it's like WrestleMania, it's just like the W W. E.
You never know what happens.
Um, but um,
I don't anticipate him being back in the National Football League because there was
not another guy who fought for him in the way that he did and
how tom brady fought for him to be in New England and then for
them to release him and and to go to Bruce areas and say,
Bruce,
this is the guy, one of my football team and to watch this fall from grace has been,
it's been sad to see it in the public public view.
Lester did have tom brady's support after the game,
brady saying that he loves Brown and saying, quote, I'm reading here.
I think everybody should hopefully do it they can to help him in ways
that he really needs it. And quote,
what is the support that you think Antonio Brown
might need right now?
Well, I'll tell you this,
I know the National Football League does a
tremendous job of having people in your circle around
you to be able to talk to you if you're dealing with issues off the field,
whether it's social emotional,
whether it's family or wife or whatever the situation may be
brady touched on it. He said, you know, he's hoping that he gets the attention
and the help that he needs.
So that's obviously something that tom brady Bruce Aaron's and that
organization knows that he has something going on with him.
That's that we are not seeing every day now.
All we see is Antonio Brown catching passes
and catching touchdowns and running beautiful routes.
But we don't really get a chance to dive into what's going on with him off the field.
So, um, I'm praying for him. You know, I'm a big tom brady fan and to see him lose
a target like that and you can't have guys like that on your team.
You know, no matter how talented or because they become, you know,
quote unquote a cancer to your program and to your organization.
And then when you see a player in Antonio Brown's position,
do the things that he did on sunday, the next guy thinks that,
well I can get away with him.
So I mean, the consequences had to happen to as well the way they did.
Uh, one last question last year, of course we saw the NFL,
the league address address racial equality in 2020.
Do you think this coming year? It should do a better job addressing mental help.
But that's something that needs more focus in the league.
Yeah.
Well honestly,
I really believe the NFL has been out in front and center with mental health, um,
them and the NBA, I think those have been the two organizations
in our professional sports and the champion.
Um if you see something, say something, you hear something,
something's going on with you.
They've given that open dialogue for players, uh, you know,
professional leagues to be able to come and speak to somebody.
Um, the NFL doesn't lack of support, you know. Um, and then,
you know, because it is a grind though, you know,
a lot of times where players who they put more
pressure on themselves because that's your way of income.
It's just like you're going to work and waking up every day
and having to work from 9 to 5 or 9 to 6,
whatever the hours are, that's those men and women in professional sports,
that's their livelihood.
That's how they make their, you know, their money.
So, um, it's, I'm praying that, you know,
the NFL and NBA will continue to push the envelope in terms of mental health,
you know, me being a high school head football coach, um,
dealing with kids day in and day out.
I've seen how the social, emotional,
mental health has taken a really a big toll on some of these kids and just,
you don't even realize what they're dealing with a lot of times,
especially with these professional athletes.
We just look at the money they're making and the touchdowns are scoring.
I realized there are humans as well.
Absolutely.
Lester thank you so much for coming on the
show and sharing your insight and wisdom with us.
That's Lester Ricard, junior sports commentator and former NFL quarterback.