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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have terminated the contract of Antonio Brown, effective immediately, the team announced Thursday.
“While Antonio did receive treatment on his ankle and was listed on the injury report the week leading up to last Sunday’s game, he was cleared to play by our medical team prior to the start of the game and at no point during the game did he indicate to our medical personnel that he could not play.
“We have attempted, multiple times throughout this week, to schedule an evaluation by an outside orthopedic specialist, yet Antonio has not complied. Maintaining the health and wellness of our players is of the utmost importance to our organization.”
At halftime of Sunday’s game against the New York Jets, Brown was agitated about not getting the targets he was expecting and had to be calmed down, a team official told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Brown’s attorney told ESPN’s Jenna Laine that Brown wasn’t upset about the lack of targets.
Also, Bucs general manager Jason Licht told ESPN that Brown and his agent requested last week that the remaining $2 million in contract incentives for this season be guaranteed, and the team declined that request.
Licht said Brown did not tell anyone on the Bucs medical staff on Sunday about his ankle bothering him before the game or during it.