What's up with the Buccaneers' medical staff?
The question has been raised by more than a few fans in the wake of a damning new report suggesting wide receiver Antonio Brown probably shouldn't have suited up prior to his infamous mid-game exit from Tampa Bay's sideline in Week 17 -- all because of an ankle injury.
According to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, Brown had recently sought outside medical advice from a "top surgeon," who confirmed the severity of the injury through MRI. And while Brown looked fine against Carolina two weeks ago, he seemed out of step against a weak Jets defense the following week.
The ankle injury and a three-game ban had kept Brown sidelined for Weeks 7-15, but he was thought to be good to go upon his return in Week 16, when he reeled in 10 of his 15 targets for 101 yards against the Panthers. But then came Sunday's meltdown, prompting questions about what had fueled the apparent falling out.
Initial reports indicated that head coach Bruce Arians had kicked Brown off the sideline after Brown had refused to reenter the game.
If it was in fact a dispute over the ankle injury, Brown would seem to have an argument. The Buccaneers have seemingly been playing fast and loose with injuries since at least last season.
No less than Tom Brady himself was revealed to have played through a torn MCL last season, despite never having appeared on the Tampa's injury report. The future Hall of Famer later needed offseason surgery to repair the balky knee.
Meanwhile, this year, tight end Rob Gronkowski returned from a four-game absence due to broken ribs and a punctured lung in Week 8, only to be reinjured and miss additional time. As well, wide receiver Chris Godwin was seen running and making cuts on the sideline after badly injuring his knee on a gnarly hit. The injury was later confirmed to be a season-ending torn ACL.
Now, there's the situation with Brown's ankle.
In response to Stroud's tweets about Brown, several users piled on the Buccaneers' training staff. As well, former Chargers team doctor Dr. David Chao said Brown was clearly favoring the ankle and was hampered in making cuts on his routes.
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