Antonio Brown says he will only have ankle surgery under 1 condition

Antonio Brown battled an ankle injury last season, and he claims he left the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the middle of a game because they wanted him to play through it. Brown now needs surgery, but he says one thing needs to happen before he goes under the knife.

Brown told TMZ this week that he plans to play in the NFL again. However, he does not want to undergo ankle surgery unless he signs with a team.

“I need to get my ankle fixed, but I just want to make sure I got an obligation or a commitment from a team,” Brown said. “It’s a lot for a guy to go do surgery without an idea of where you gonna work, or who you going to work for.”

The exact extent of the injury is unclear. If Brown does need surgery, it makes sense that he would want to sign with a team first. That way the cost would likely be covered. It’s also possible he might not need surgery if he doesn’t end up playing football again.

Any team that dared to sign Brown would have to deal with all the baggage that comes with him. If that wasn’t enough to scare teams away, also consider that Brown still feels he deserves to be one of the highest-paid receivers in the NFL.

“Watch the tape. It’s not what the articles they sell. It’s what I’m willing to do and what I’m capable of doing,” Brown said. “I put my heart on the line, I put my will on the line, I put my skills on the line. I’m the best go in the stadium every week.”

Brown is 33 and has not played a full NFL season since he was with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2018. Even if teams were willing to overlook the drama, there is no way he would be able to sign a big contract. Brown thinks one specific team might be a fit for him, but no one would be surprised if he never plays in the NFL again.

Photo: Nov 8, 2020; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Antonio Brown before the game against the New Orleans Saints at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports