If you are a superstar in any sport -- teams and coaches are willing to put up with just about anything. That notion couldn't be any truer in Tampa. Antonio Brown and Mike Edwards, who were both suspended for three games for falsifying vaccination cards, will be reinstated for the Bucs' Week 16 matchup against the Carolina Panthers.
After an injury-riddled shutout by the New Orleans Saints, 9-0, Bucs head coach Bruce Arians explained the decision on allowing Brown and Edwards back on the team.
“It was in the best interest of our football team,” Arians told reporters. “Both those guys have served their time and we welcome them back.”
Arians statements echoed those of GM Jason Licht who said during the team's pregame show that 'We look forward to having them back' after their suspensions expired following Sunday night's game.
It's quite ironic that the Bucs, especially Arians, are allowing AB back on the team, considering Arians told Peter King well over a year ago that if the future Hall of Fame wide receiver were to screw up one more time, he would be gone. What makes this even worse is that Arians, who is a three-time cancer survivor, was at-risk being around an unvaxxed Brown and Edwards -- who are both now fully vaccinated. However, when you lose Chris Goodwin for the season, and both Lenoard Forunette and Mike Evans are injured and banged up, you need someone with the talent of Brown, regardless of Arians may feel about putting himself and others at risk.
Arians' has yet to address his past statement on Brown and he likely won't. Neither player will face any additional discipline from the team, with the only other potential consequence being in federal court, charging them with a third-degree felony to manufacture, possess or display a fake vaccination card.
According to NFL insider Albert Breer, the reason Brown, Edwards -- along with John Franklin III was caught, was due to getting their fake vaccination cards only an hour and a half away from Tampa in Citrus County.
The trio was suspended three games without pay by the league and did not appeal the suspension.
Some are thinking that they would put AB on ice not just for his fake vaccine card, but to keep him from receiving incentives put on his contract. However, after last night's dud, the Bucs need all hands on deck to continue to win.
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