Brown will only play football if he can keep using his outdated helmet.
Hey now, let’s be fair. I think you’re being too hard on Antonio. The purpose of a helmet is to protect the head, and in his case I’m not sure how much that matters.
Case in point:
Gruden also said he “expects a lot more drama from No. 84” after Brown arrived to camp in a hot-air balloon.
Isn’t it a lost cause by now?
I liked this line too:
He gave himself frostbite. I agree it might be too late for the helmet to help.
So glad the Steelers got rid of Brown and Bell.
It been a while since we a true top-tier jackass diva WR, I guess nature decided it was a role that needed filled.
Brown makes Terrell Owens look like a team player. Fuck I can’t stand this piece of crap, and as much as it hurts to call out someone from my alma mater, fuck O’Dell Beckham as well.
Turns out the Steelers played Oakland in the off-season much better than during the regular season.
Agree with you there. Did you hear about the time he driving down McKnight Road going over 100 mph?
Now if only Ben would retire…
And there are still people who think that what happened with Brown and Bell are Pittsburgh’s fault. Every day and every headline proves where the fault lies.
I have a theory that when Burfict tried to kill him in the playoffs two years ago it scrambled his brain and CTE is manifesting itself. Prior to that one hit he was a diva, after that he was very erratic in ways he was not before. And now Burfict is his teammate, which is simultaneously sad and wryly amusing at the same time. At least he doesn’t have to worry about that lunatic making him worse than he already did.
Dude gives us potheads a bad name. 
I agree with USAF: there’s something scrambled upstairs with that guy. It’s beyond just being a rich a-hole football player; he’s showing signs of really erratic behavior.
Playing devil’s advocate…
Do we know this for sure? Isn’t it quite possible that the facility he went to screwed up by not providing proper footwear/explanation/etc?
As for the helmet thing (which I think is hilarious), at this point I think it’s too early to conclude that he’s serious and not just posturing. Other players like Brady and Rodgers have complained about wanting to use older helmets and worked to grandfather their old models in as long as possible. Sure, when the new rules hit they’re quietly going along with them, but Brown’s always been a loudmouth. He’s not actually going to retire and leave $30 mil on the table over a helmet.
The whole helmet rule is arbitrary anyways… nothing’s been shown to be wrong with his helmet model, it’s just that the NFL has a blanket rule that helmets older than 10 years aren’t approved.
Basically, while these two stories are amusing for their drama, I wouldn’t say that they’re signs of erratic CTE behavior or anything. Now, if you want to talk about the furniture off the balcony story (which no one in this thread mentioned), that’s another thing…
Love the painting of the helmet in similar, but not quite, Oakland colors. AB as Wile-E-Coyote.
I really hope a picture of this surfaces. Unfortunately sounds like it was at a mini camp before Hard Knocks.
It’s far more likely that he screwed it up than they screwed it up. They do this every day, and know what is and isn’t dangerous.
However, playing devil’s advocate… I’m not keen on slamming the guy even if it was his fault. He didn’t get hurt hang gliding, or getting in a drunken brawl at 3am, he got hurt undergoing a legitimate treatment to improve his football career.
Re: the helmet, the real question is what he does when his grievance is turned down. Everything until then is theater, which I expect from a diva WR.
As someone who has never played football in a helmet, what is such a big deal about it? Does the new helmet restrict Brown’s vision in some way? Is it heavier? I assume it’s safer than his current (old) helmet. Why do guys like Brady fuss about their old vs. new helmets as well?
Did you play high-school, college, or the pros without a helmet?
No, I’ve only ever played intramural flag football, which is almost nothing like actual real football. But I’m asking why Brown insists on making such a fuss over a helmet switch, when most of the other 2,000 NFL players don’t see a big deal with it.
Fair 'nuff, I’m not in the pocket of Big Cryo. He was hurt undergoing a … popular … treatment to improve his football career.
Point being, he wasn’t hurt while being an inherently selfish “screw the team, I’ll do what I want” ass, he was hurt while genuinely attempting to better himself for the football season. That’s the sort of mistake that is forgivable.