TAMPA, Fla. — In his first statement since leaving the field in the third quarter of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ game at the New York Jets on Sunday, Antonio Brown said he was forced to play on an injured ankle that will require surgery, which is why he exited so abruptly.
An MRI on Monday revealed broken bone fragments, a ligament torn from the bone and cartilage loss, the wide receiver said in a lengthy statement released Wednesday night.
Brown also accused the Buccaneers of mischaracterizing his outburst on the field as a “mental health issue,” rather than a refusal to play due to pain.
The Buccaneers did not have any immediate comment to Brown’s statement when reached later Wednesday night.
Brown was on the field for 26 plays before his exit Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Upset on the sideline, he took off his jersey, pads and undershirt, and he threw his shirt and gloves into…
