Have talent, will travel.
At least that’s what Antonio Brown thinks, as he is on a mission to join quarterback Lamar Jackson and fellow wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. with the Ravens. Apparently, he feels like the team has big plans for him, as he announced how much he’s looking forward to suiting up in Baltimore for the 2023 season.
“Excited to return to the NFL this year,” Brown wrote on Twitter while also posting a photo of himself in a Ravens uniform with his familiar #84.
Antonio Brown Twitter
Never mind the fact that the seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver announced just two months ago that he was officially retiring from The League after 12 seasons.
In that time, he caught 928 passes for 12,291 yards and 83 touchdowns while playing primarily for Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay. (He played only one game in 2019 for the Patriots.)
Antonio Brown via Nonstop Sports YouTube
Oh yeah, and there is one other, slight detail.
The Ravens haven’t said anything about it. No official announcement or press release. No press conference… and most importantly, no Antonio Brown.
At least, not yet.
Antonio Brown leaving the Jets game via Highlights Heaven YouTube
After a turbulent offseason that nearly saw the departure of the face of the franchise, the team came to terms with quarterback Lamar Jackson last week.
The NFL MVP agreed to a five-year deal with the Ravens on Thursday, the team announced. The agreement is worth $260 million, according to ESPN. It was the largest contract in the history of the Ravens franchise.
This follows the team adding some other key pieces like wide receiver Odell Beckham Junior from the Rams earlier in the offseason. It was a clear signal not only who they wanted to lead their team, but that they were going to make sure he had plenty of playmakers.
So, there are a lot of reasons why Antonio Brown would want to play in Charm City. Jackson and Brown are friends and have worked out together for years, Brown’s cousin Marquise is a former Raven, and this move has actually been teased for a couple of years now.
Antonio Brown during the Steelers at Ravens 12/27/15 Photo Credit: Keith Allison, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Antonio Brown says he’s going to get in on the act in Baltimore, so what’s the problem?
Firstly, no one around the NFL can verify this deal, and it’s sounding mostly like something that the oft-confusing Brown just threw out there. As the news started making its rounds, Pat McAfee commented on his podcast that it appeared Brown had just rolled out of bed and DECIDED he was going to be a Raven now.
RELATED: Antonio Brown Responds To Arrest Warrant Over Failure To Pay Child Support
Brown has always been an odd character, both on and off the field. Recently, he became part owner of an arena football team in Albany, New York, and had an incident on the sidelines with security there, prior to a game. He’s also been in court involving alleged non-payment of child support.
So, Brown’s name had been in the news for a myriad of reasons, and now, he’s claiming to be a Raven. And with social media being what it is, his post drew the usual round of skepticism and sarcasm. Sometimes with hilarious results.
Daily Grind Fantasy Sports Twitter
No one is completely sure where the cosmically programmed Brown came up with this latest stunt. He may have been trying to drum up interest in a potential NFL return, or he’s just trying to shake everyone’s tree. During his time in the public eye, the only thing that’s ver for sure about the mercurial playmaker is… nothing’s for sure.