TAMPA. Fla. (WFLA) – The erratic behavior from Antonio Brown during Sunday’s game has caused concern among his former teammates.
After the game, Tom Brady talked about Brown, saying everyone should be “compassionate and empathetic.”
NFL insiders believe there’s more going on than meet’s the eye.
While WFLA does not know Antonio Brown’s current health status, those who know the wide receiver were talking openly on Monday stating that they hope the former Tampa Bay Buccaneer gets the help he needs.
Those concerned include his former coach, Bruce Arians, and Bucs quarterback, Tom Brady.
Brown’s gridiron meltdown on Sunday was a moment no one saw coming, and one that Bucs fans won’t soon forget. The bizarre behavior was on display for the world to see.
The question is – what went wrong with the wide receiver?
His former teammates and other NFL players have come forward describing Brown’s struggle as “real,” saying mental health and CTE are a “reality” for athletes.
“You look at such an amazing player having such talent, such a great athlete, you really want only the best for them,” said Dr. Marissa McCarthy, an associate professor from USF, as well as a prominent physician with the USF Concussion Center.
She talked about the effects of CTE, especially when it comes to professional athletes. She says with repetitive blows to the head, people often don’t really understand what’s happening to them.
“When you have brain trauma, it affects you cognitively, physically and emotionally. Your behavior is affected,” she said.
After previous incidents with the New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers and Las Vegas Raiders, Brown’s demeanor is now once again under the microscope as his friends and fellow NFL players say hope he gets the help he needs.
“You know, one of the hardest things about traumatic brain injury is patience and time, which most of us don’t have. We want a quick fix, and we want to feel like we did before anything ever happened,” said Dr. McCarthy.
