The Calculated Attempt To Clean Up AB's Image

For the last year and a half, we've seen Antonio Brown spiral out of control, starting with his feud in September 2018 with Undefeated reported Jesse Washington over the first negative story in a saga of many more to come.  

Shortly after the story pubbed, Brown tweeted, "@jessewashington wait to I see you bro we gone see what your jaw like." Brown deleted the tweet, but Washington retweeted, and screen captured it.

Even though he quickly deleted the tweet, apologized, and kept a low pro for the most of the 2018 season, it was this moment that is burned into my brain. This was when I sort of felt something was wrong. 

At the 2019 Super Bowl, Antonio showed up to an EA sports event I was working, donning a bleach blonde mustache and multicolored braids. He later stuck his tongue out at me like a lizard. Yep, definitely concerned. 

And we all know what happened next. An onslaught of drama, emotional outbursts, and ultimately a warrant for AB's arrest. I think it was pretty much a fate accomplis that he would never play in the NFL again. Right? 

I thought so, at least, until last weekend, where he popped back up in the public eye in Miami like everything was normal. First there was the sit down with Josina Anderson, and an interview with USA TODAY along with normal Super Bowl related appearances. But last night when I was scrolling through AB's snapchat, I saw a photo he posted at dinner with Adam Schefter, a photo of him and the ex he just verbally assaulted via live stream, and lastly, a photo next to Kevin Hart at Kevin's comedy event. 

Am I going insane? I thought Antonio was universally known as the social leper until further notice. No? 

I don't know about you guys but, I'm not buying this AB clean up press junket. It all feels fake. Like a very calculated attempt to clean up his image (without him actually changing) enough where the public and the media feels comfortable "allowing him" to play again.

Do not sleep… AB hasn't changed. 

In her ESPN interview, Josina Anderson asked if Antonio Brown needed help. 

He didn't say yes. He said that "everyone needs support from their friends and family." No Antonio, this is a little more serious than the support that "everyone" needs. 

That pretty much tells you everything you need to know. AB is definitely not ready to admit that he needs professional help. Until then, there's really nothing for us to talk about. The apologies are meaningless and he doesn't deserve another chance to play football. It's just the same old shit, just another day in the Antonio Brown news cycle…