Back in 2019, Antonio Brown was speculated to be traded to the Buffalo Bills. The former Pittsburg Steeler has established himself as one of the best wide receivers in the NFL and ended up harboring a ton of interest from the Bills organization. Brown’s career has been an up-and-down journey. Despite having some standout moments over the years, the man has been known to have a keen eye for controversy.

Even though the Buffalo Bills were not particularly title contenders at the time, Brown’s acquisition would have definitely helped buff their schemes. Not to mention, the fact that Antonio Brown would have had an opportunity to lead his own team, and could potentially avoid the manner in which his career spiraled down. At the time, it was reported that the two entities just couldn’t align their interests, but something deeper was in the works as well.

A matter of good faith?

As the trade rumors fell apart, Buffalo Bills GM Brandon Beane said, “We had positive discussions, but ultimately it didn’t make sense for either side. As great a player as Antonio Brown is, we have moved on and our focus is on free agency.”

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A conflict of interest was cited as the reason for the trade falling apart, but a cheating scandal might have been the final straw.

As per speculation, the wife of Bills star safety Jordan Poyer, Rachel Bush, and Antonio Brown shared some history. Prior to getting married to Poyer, the famous bikini model was cheated on by her fiance. And whatever followed next, could be just retaliation. Though neither Brown nor Bush has either confirmed or denied the story, the narrative has been around for quite a while now.

If the trade indeed go through, then Anotonio would have had to share a locker room with Jordan Poyer. And it’s safe to assume that the situation could get well a bit tense. Maybe this is why Brown pulled out of the trade.

The aftermath for Antonio Brown

Antonio Brown’s career followed the same trajectory as the Buffalo Bills trade, the king of controversies got a fresh start with the Raiders but misfortune continued following him. In July 2019, Brown suffered from frostbite, ending on the non-football injury list.

Then in August of the same year, he created headlines again by filing a grievance asking to continue wearing his own helmet, something that had been previously banned. It was a matter of time before Brown lost the appeal and making matters worse refused to practice with the Raiders.

Eventually recruited by the New England Patriots, Brown was back on the field. But old habits die hard I guess, as Brown landed himself in legal troubles this time, with charges as serious as physical and sexual assault. The man owes a lot to Tom Brady, as he rescued Brown once again and the duo went on to win the Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

But the final meltdown happened in 2022, Brown stripped off his gear during Tampa’s game at the Jets, leaving the stadium after refusing to go into the game. Eventually getting cut.

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