Antonio Brown signed a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this week that includes both individual and team incentives, but Brown cannot earn one without the other.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Sunday that the maximum value of Brown’s contract with Tampa Bay is $2.5 million. Brown will earn around $1 million in base salary and roster bonuses. He gets a $750,000 bonus if the Buccaneers win the Super Bowl and can earn three $250,000 bonuses for receptions, yardage and touchdowns. However, the Bucs must make the playoffs in order for Brown to earn any incentive at all.
Antonio Brown has to hit the individual marks and Tampa has to make the playoffs for him to cash on his $1.5 million worth of incentives. To earn any incentive, Bucs have to make playoffs. https://t.co/HVgU54aS1g
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 25, 2020
The structure of the deal could be an attempt by the Bucs to get Brown to not only perform but also buy into a team mentality. Tampa is loaded with pass-catchers now with Brown, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Even if Brown finds himself wanting the ball more, he’s not going to earn any incentives unless the team performs well as a whole.
Brown’s contract carries very little risk for the Bucs. If the Pro Bowler’s streak of off-field issues continues, the team can simply release him without losing much. Should Brown play like he did in 2018 and not become a headache, he’ll be a steal for Tampa.
