Antonio Brown has suggested that he and former teammate Tom Brady have buried the hatchet.
The former wide receiver has frequently hit out at his ex-teammate in deeply personal attacks since parting ways in 2022, blaming Brady for the end of his career in the NFL and even targeting the football legend’s ex-wife.
However, the 36-year-old has begged for forgiveness from the seven-time Super Bowl winner in an alleged phone call between the two former Tampa Bay Buccaneers teammates.
Brown posted an audio clip to X, formerly known as Twitter, Tuesday with the caption: ‘AB x Tom Brady. Love my Teammate & Friend #CTESPN. He helped me out the mud & I’m forever grateful for him. I’m sorry for all my side of everything. Super Bowl Champs @TomBrady.’
The soundbite appears to capture a phone conversation between the former wide receiver and NFL legend, recorded from Brown’s end of the line.
Antonio Brown has suggested he and former teammate Tom Brady have buried the hatchet
In the clip, Brown apologized for his attacks on Brady in recent years, which have included doctored images of the quarterback’s ex-wife Gisele Bundchen.
The controversial former NFLer, who has also launched attacks on WNBA star Caitlin Clark and tight end Travis Kelce and his girlfriend Taylor Swift this year, opened up on the trauma he says he is processing.
Brown suggested that he is currently attempting to make amends for his actions, while focusing on raising his children. Brown is believed to be the father of seven children
‘The older we get, we’re still stuck with our traumas for our kids and seeking therapy and how to deal with traumas because we just human beings and a product of what we go through and how people treated us,’ Brown began.
‘That’s all I’ve been trying to do. I still got to make a little bit of music, but I kind of just focus on raising the kids and trying to do some positive stuff.’
A voice, which was recognizable as belonging to Brady, could then be heard on the other end of the phone.
The former wide receiver has frequently hit out at the quarterback in deeply personal attacks
The 36-year-old has seemingly begged for forgiveness from the seven-time Super Bowl winner
‘That’s awesome,’ Brady graciously and patiently responded. ‘I know, we’re all dealing with something. No matter who you are, we all have our stuff that we’re dealing with.
‘We’re parents and we’re sons. We had all our stuff growing up and things that happened in elementary school and high school, it all shaped who we are. It’s not all roses for everybody. I know what you went through as a kid and your story through high school wasn’t easy. You made some great choices and you made some that were tough, hopefully you can overcome them.’
‘I just wanted you to succeed. You always know that,’ the former quarterback added.
Despite having lashed out at Brady in the past, accusing him of ending his career and being ‘selfish’, Brown lauds the former signal caller for leadership skills both on and off the field.
Brady had encouraged the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to acquire the embattled Brown in 2020 amid accusations of sexual assault and harassment, which he has since settled out of court.
Brady and Brown went on to win the Super Bowl together in 2021, beating the Kansas City Chiefs 31-9.
However, since storming away from the Bucs, Brown has frequently attacked Brady’s character.
But Brown pleaded for forgiveness in the purported phone call, insisting that, despite his actions, he never took Brady’s support for granted.
Brown has taken to social media with photoshopped pictures of him and Bundchen hugging
‘You helped me succeed,’ he insisted. ‘You came and got me in the dirt, champ. Helped me be a campion. Helped me be a part of greatness, witness you be so great as a leader and as a person. I never took those things for granted, man. You always special to me. No matter the emotions I try to betray, I only got respect for you and everything you did for me.
‘I couldn’t live on without letting you know that as a man I got nothing but the upmost respect for you and asking for your forgiveness.’
A forgiving and understanding Brady could then be heard graciously accepting Brown’s apparent apology and sweeping the tumultuous chapter of their friendship under the carpet.
‘Thank you, I appreciate it,’ he said. ‘What’s happened has happened, it’s in the past. So, you know, whatever. And hopefully I get to see you at some point and give you a hug.’
Brown admitted he would like to meet up with his quarterback ‘whenever you’ve got time,’ claiming he’s just ‘one call away’ to which Brady echoed the sentiment.
Brown hasn’t played since his infamous shirtless mid-game exit against the Jets in 2022
Brown hasn’t played since his infamous shirtless mid-game exit against the New York Jets in January 2022.
It was a surprising end to his stint in Tampa Bay after he had helped the NFC South franchise to make an unlikely run to the Super Bowl, which they would eventually win against Kansas City at Raymond James Stadium.
But Brown had arrived in Tampa Bay off the back off a series of controversies and seemingly landed a spot on the team thanks to the endorsement of Brady.
A year earlier, Brady had also pushed for the New England Patriots to sign Brown, only to have the team cut him after one game when the sexual misconduct allegation first surfaced.
However, the wideout has since failed to repay the seven-time Super Bowl winner’s faith, taunting the quarterback on multiple occasions.
The former wide receiver claimed the seven-time Super Bowl winner was ‘selfish’ on X
Earlier this year, Brown hit back at claims Brady attempted to salvage his NFL career, instead branding the legend ‘selfish.’
‘Ask anyone is Tom Brady selfish bro want stats too you think he like Payton manning or you think he didn’t play longer then drew Brees to past his stats ok ima let the crackers thinks it’s me when I’m coming off the bench to help his team win,’ he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Brown also antagonized Brady over his divorce from supermodel Gisele Bundchen in 2022.
He has frequently posted doctored photos, playfully suggesting that he’s having a romantic relationship with Brady’s ex.