Wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Antonio Brown strips down to only his pants mid game and storms off the field. This incident took place at MetLife Stadium on January 2nd during the third quarter of the Buccaneers vs. Jets game. 

During the third quarter of the game Antonio Brown was seen taking off his jersey, pads and undershirt. He then threw his gloves and shirt into the crowd and ran off the field while the game was still taking place on the other side. Brown made it to the locker room before grabbing a cab to the airport.

Brown and his lawyer shared a lengthy statement with ESPN on Thursday. His reason for leaving the game was that he was told to play on an injured ankle, Brown said, “I took a seat on the sideline and my coach came up to me, very upset, and shouted, ‘What’s wrong with you? What’s wrong with you?’ I told him, ‘It’s my ankle…’ He then ordered me to get on the field. I said, ‘Coach, I can’t.’ He didn’t call for medical attention. Instead, he shouted at me, ‘YOU’RE DONE!’ while he ran his finger across his throat. Coach was telling me that if I didn’t play hurt, then I was done with the Bucs.”

In the same statement made to ESPN Brown also shared what triggered him to leave the game, saying, “I know we were losing to the Jets and that was frustrating for all of us. But I could not make football plays on that ankle… Yes, I walked off the field. But there’s a major difference between launching from the line and taking hits, compared to jogging off the field with a rush of emotions going through your mind. I am reflecting on my reaction, but there was a trigger. The trigger was someone telling me that I’m not allowed to feel pain.”

Many people are questioning whether his behavior on the field that day was a result of Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), brain degeneration likely caused by repeated head traumas. Antonio Brown has been subject to many hard hits, but the hit that some say changed his career was when he was knocked out by Vontaze Burfict. Senior at Wayne Hills High School Alex Gilman says, “I remember watching the Steelers vs. Browns game years ago where Antonio Brown got hit very hard. Since then there has always been something off about him.” Brown’s inappropriate behavior also includes past allegations of sexual assault and harassment.

Antonio Brown has since been released by the Buccaneers.