Opinion: Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians will regret compromising his values for Antonio Brown
This is a simple story. It's a story about a good person and how he allowed himself, and his team, to be compromised by a crappy one.
Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians has long been one of the NFL's good people. He's almost singlehandedly shown how teams can win with diverse staffs in a league that has few. He is adored by players. Coaches around the league both publicly and privately say he's one of the most respected people in the NFL. Not just coaches ... people.
"If you miss a football game, or recital, anything to do with your children," he once said, "I'll fire you."
That's typical Arians.
He's principled, decent and honorable. But we also now know that in many ways, Bruce Arians is just like many other coaches. He's willing to compromise his values and beliefs for talent. That's exactly what he's doing in the case of Antonio Brown who, unlike Arians, is one of the worst people in the sport. In all of sports.
Brown has dragged Arians into the sewer system with him, and instead of fighting and kicking and screaming so he doesn't have to swim in those murky depths, Arians willingly let Brown take him there.
Brown has been accused of multiple sexual assaults, pled no contest to felony battery and burglary charges, been accused of stiffing people who've done various work for him, as well as other alleged acts of mischief, indecency and depravity. The NFL suspended Brown eight games in July 2020.
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One of the worst things he did was allegedly lie about his vaccination status. Brown's deception came to light after a former chef for Brown sued him for unpaid bills, and subsequently made the accusation public. The NFL investigated and suspended Brown and two other players for three games.
There's no way Brown should be a member of the Buccaneers after such blatant treachery. But there he is. On the team. On Arians' team.
"Yeah, it's in the best interest of our football team," Arians said of allowing the players back. "Both of those guys have served their time and we'll welcome them back."
Arians doubled down on this Monday after the Buccaneers were physically obliterated, 9-0, by the Saints on Sunday. He was asked whether he was concerned about what people may think about allowing Brown back: "I could give a [expletive] what they think. Only thing I care about is this football team and what’s best for us."
This was Arians in October 2020 after the Buccaneers signed Brown: "He screws up one time, he's gone."
Brown lying about his vaccination status and potentially endangering the lives of his teammates, and their loved ones, counts as screwing up.
This is less about Brown and more about Arians. Brown will do whatever the hell Brown does. The problem isn't that. The problem is that besides going back on his word, Arians is sending a message to his players, and the league, that what Brown did wasn't so serious.
If you want to say he was punished and deserves another chance, well, that's not what Arians said would happen. He said one more infraction and Brown was gone.
What changed? Brown's play, as it has always been, was excellent. He made the best quarterback of all time, and an already formidable offense, even more potent. The Buccaneers did what the Steelers did for years. They looked the other way despite Brown's selfishness because Brown is so good at football.
This is why the Patriots signed him. This is why the Raiders did. Both teams eventually discovered Brown will always let you down.
The tale of a team compromising itself for talent is an age-old one. It goes back to football's primordial days. Somehow, Arians was supposed to be exempt from this football law.
No one expects Arians to be perfect, or never give second chances. It's just that he picked the absolute worst person to compromise himself over. Brown isn't getting his second chance. Unless you mean second to the fourth power. Arians has wasted his credibility on a player who doesn't deserve it.
Yes, this again is a simple story. It's a story about a good person and how he allowed himself, and his team, to be compromised by a crappy one.
And Arians, like the Steelers, Patriots and Raiders, will regret he ever gave Brown that 15th chance. It may not seem like it now, but he will.
Because everyone does.
Follow Paste BN Sports' Mike Freeman on Twitter @mikefreemanNFL.