Rodney Harrison would like to see the NFL help Antonio Brown.
On NBC Sports Tuesday, the Patriots Hall of Famer said he thinks Brown is suffering from brain trauma. Harrison referenced the vicious hit that linebacker Vontaze Burfict laid on Brown in the 2016 NFL playoffs, and the long-lasting damage it may have caused. There is a direct line between that hit and Brown’s more problematic behavior, including allegations of sexual misconduct and domestic violence.
“I think he’s suffering from CTE,” Harrison said. “I think he’s definitely got some symptoms. He’s snappy, mood swings. I mean, you look at this hit from Vontaze Burfict. You look at this hit and he was completely out. I played 15 years in the league, I was never completely out like that. He’s completely out. That is a concussion. That is something that is going to stick with you for the rest of your life.”
Brown’s extreme mood swings have played out in public view, causing the Steelers and Raiders to jettison the talented wideout. Brown’s career in Pittsburgh ended when he reportedly threw a football at Ben Roethlisberger in practice, which led to his benching in a crucial Week 17 game.
Three months later, the Steelers traded Brown to the Raiders, for whom he never played. He missed all of training camp due to grievances over new league-mandated helmets (seriously) and froze his foot after getting frost bite from cryotherapy. The Patriots released Brown in September 2019 after two women accused him of sexual assault.
Brown’s legal problems only mounted over the ensuing months, as he was charged with felony burglary with battery and two misdemeanors for an incident with a moving truck driver. The NFL suspended Brown for eight games to begin the 2020 season.
At the behest of Tom Brady, the Buccaneers signed Brown after his suspension, and he helped them capture the Super Bowl. His 2021 season has been mired with bizarre behavior, including a fake Covid-19 vaccine card and his meltdown Sunday, when he stripped off his uniform and walked off the field in the middle of a game.
Harrison, who says he knows many ex-players who suffer from CTE, said he views Brown’s actions as a cry for help.
“I would like for the league to come in and really help this guy because what they witnessed and what we witnessed on Sunday was mental illness, it was CTE, it was him making a bad decision, it was all those different things,” Harrison said. “When you’re suffering from CTE — and I got many, many friends that suffer from CTE. We all suffer from CTE. If you play football for an extended period of time, you got hit in the head, you suffer from CTE. That was clearly something that just made him snap and I promise you at this point in time he’s sitting at home and he’s not happy. He’s not happy about walking off the field, quitting.”
Tom Brady expressed compassion towards Brown Sunday, saying “everybody should hopefully do what they can to help him in ways that he really needs it.”
The NFL providing Brown with support and services would be one big way to accomplish that.
