Todd Haley Tried to Get Antonio Brown to Play for His USFL Team

Antonio Brown’s exit from Tampa Bay is as ugly as it has ever been. At one point, the former Bucs wide receiver alleged that he was forced to play through an ankle injury by the staff, however, since then, there have been comments that Brown was not happy with his share of the targets in the offense.

Still, things always seem to come to Pittsburgh in some way. In this form, it was former Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley. Haley, now the head coach of the Tampa Bay Bandits of the USFL, texted Brown shortly after his release from the Buccaneers on Thursday.

PITTSBURGH, PA – DECEMBER 04: Pittsburgh Steelers offensive Coordinator Todd Haley during the NFL Football game between the New York Giants and the Pittsburgh Steelers on December 4, 2016, at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Mark Alberti/Icon Sportswire)

The olive branch extended by Haley was to try and coax Brown to come with a championship with him in the newly formed league. However, Brown was having none of it.

On the Full Send Podcast, Brown revealed the entire text out loud as one of the hosts read it out.

“I just took a USFL head coaching job,” Haley texted Brown. “Pull up tomorrow to Tampa. I need you to come and play for a championship. I love you.”

Afterward, Brown responded with “fuck out of here”, laughing off the suggestion that Brown could go and play in the USFL. He later expanded upon his point of why he found it so insulting.

“Bro, listen, I’m Antonio Brown, bro,” Brown said. “I played football at the highest level. You just asked me for a sorry-ass club to play in the Arena League.”

Brown is unlikely to find employment anywhere soon, as he is set to have surgery on his nagging ankle injury.