TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – The former live-in-chef of Antonio Brown claims the Buccaneers wide receiver asked him to obtain a fake COVID vaccination card, according to NBC Sports.
The Buccaneers issued a statement following the Tampa Bay Times report that Brown purchased a fake COVID-19 vaccination card.
“After an extensive educational process conducted throughout our organization this past offseason highly the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccines, we received completed vaccination cards from all Tampa Bay Buccaneers players and submitted the required information to the NFL through the established process in accordance with league policy. All vaccination cards were reviewed by Buccaneers personnel and no irregularities were observed,” the Buccaneers statement said.
According to the report, Brown’s former chef — to whom he reportedly owes $10,000 — claims Brown’s girlfriend was willing to pay $500 to get a Johnson & Johnson vaccination card.
Misrepresenting the official seal of a U.S. agency — like the CDC logo on vaccine cards — could be a violation of federal law, according to the Department of Justice. Violators could face up to five years in prison or a $5,000 fine.
Brown has faced scrutiny from the league in the past. The NFL suspended him for the first eight games of the 2020 season due to multiple violations of the league’s personal conduct policy.
Eight On Your Side reached out to Brown’s attorney Sean Burstyn who released a statement following the report.
“Be like Antonio Brown and get the vaccine,” Burstyn said.
On Sept. 22 of this year, the Bucs placed Brown on the reserve/COVID-19 list. He missed the Week 3 game against the Los Angeles Rams because he was still on that list.
He has not played since week 7 due to an ankle injury.
