Antonio Brown facts for kids

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Antonio Brown

Brown in 2024

No. 84, 17, 81

Position:

Wide receiver

Personal information

Born:

July 10, 1988 (age 37)
Miami, Florida, U.S.

Height:

5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)

Weight:

185 lb (84 kg)

Career information

High school:

Miami Norland
(Miami Gardens, Florida)

College:

Central Michigan (2007–2009)

NFL Draft:

2010 / Round: 6 / Pick: 195

Career history

As player:

As executive:

Albany Empire (2023)
Co-owner

Career highlights and awards

Super Bowl champion (LV)
4× First-team All-Pro (2014–2017)
Second-team All-Pro (2013)
7× Pro Bowl (2011, 2013–2018)
2× NFL receptions leader (2014, 2015)
2× NFL receiving yards leader (2014, 2017)
NFL receiving touchdowns leader (2018)
NFL 2010s All-Decade Team
2× MAC Special Teams Player of the Year (2008, 2009)
MAC Freshman of the Year (2007)
2× First-team All-American (2008, 2009)
2× First-team All-MAC (2008, 2009)
Second-team All-MAC (2007)

Career NFL statistics

Receptions:	928
Receiving yards:	12,291
Receiving touchdowns:	83
Return yards:	2,934
Return touchdowns:	5

Player stats at PFR

Antonio Tavaris Brown Sr. (born July 10, 1988), known as "AB", is an American former professional football wide receiver. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. During his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Brown was one of the best receivers in the league. His career also included some difficult situations.

Brown played college football for the Central Michigan Chippewas. He was named a first-team All-American twice as a punt returner. The Steelers picked him in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL draft. With Pittsburgh, Brown led the NFL in receiving yards twice and receptions twice. He also led the league in receiving touchdowns once. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl six times and was a first-team All-Pro four times.

After some disagreements with the Steelers, Brown was traded to the Oakland Raiders in 2019. However, he was released before the season started due to various issues. He then signed with the New England Patriots but played only one game before being released. Brown returned to the NFL in 2020 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He helped the team win Super Bowl LV. He was released near the end of the next season after leaving the field during a game.

After his playing career, Brown became an owner of the Albany Empire in 2023. This team was part of the National Arena League (NAL). The team later stopped playing in the same year.

Early Life and High School Football

Antonio Brown is the son of "Touchdown" Eddie Brown and Adrianne Moss. His father was a wide receiver in the Arena Football League. He was named the best player in the league's history in 2006.

Brown went to Miami Norland High School in Miami, Florida. He played football there. He played many positions, including running back, quarterback, wide receiver, and punt returner. He was a two-time all-state player. After high school, Brown wanted to go to Florida State University, but he was not accepted.

He later enrolled at North Carolina Tech Prep. He played quarterback there for one season. He then received a scholarship to Florida International University. However, he was removed from the team before the season started. Brown then joined Central Michigan University as a walk-on player.

College Football Career

Brown played college football for the Central Michigan Chippewas from 2007 to 2009.

Freshman Year (2007)

Brown joined Central Michigan University in 2007. He started as a walk-on wide receiver. He quickly earned a scholarship. He played in 14 games during his first season. Brown had 102 receptions for 1,003 yards and six touchdowns. He led the Mid-American Conference in receptions. He was named the Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year. He also earned All-Conference honors as a returner.

Sophomore Year (2008)

Brown started every game in his sophomore season. He had 93 receptions for 998 yards and seven touchdowns. He also returned a punt for a 75-yard touchdown against the Ohio Bobcats. Brown led the conference in punt return yards and kick return yards.

Junior Year (2009)

Brown had a great junior season. He set school records with 110 receptions and 1,198 receiving yards. He also scored nine touchdowns. He helped Central Michigan achieve a school record of 12 wins. This included a victory in the MAC Championship. After this season, Brown decided to enter the NFL draft. He finished his college career with school records for receptions (305) and was fourth all-time in receiving yards (3,199).

College Statistics

Season	Team	GP	Receiving				Rushing
Season	Team	GP	Rec	Yds	Avg	TD	Att	Yds	Avg	TD
2007	Central Michigan	14	102	1,003	9.8	6	10	74	7.4	1
2008		13	93	998	10.8	7	20	116	5.8	0
2009		14	110	1,198	10.9	9	42	341	8.1	3
Career		41	305	3,199	10.5	22	72	531	7.4	4

Professional Football Career

Joining the Pittsburgh Steelers

Brown during a game at Heinz Field

The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Antonio Brown in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL draft. He was the 195th player chosen overall. Brown chose jersey number 84. He said it was because "Eight times four is 32. Thirty-two teams looked past me, even the Steelers." This motivated him.

On June 15, 2010, Brown signed a three-year contract with the Steelers. He quickly became a key player for the team.

Rookie Season (2010)

Brown made his NFL debut on September 19, 2010. He returned a kickoff for an 89-yard touchdown. This happened on the very first play of the game. He became the first player since 2001 to score a kickoff return touchdown in his first game. Brown finished his rookie season with 16 catches for 167 yards.

The Steelers reached Super Bowl XLV that season. Brown played in the Super Bowl. The Steelers lost to the Green Bay Packers 31–25.

Becoming a Star (2011–2014)

Brown in Denver in January 2012

In 2011, Brown became a starting wide receiver. He had his first game with over 100 receiving yards against the Arizona Cardinals. He also scored his first career touchdown against the New England Patriots. Brown finished the season with 69 catches for 1,108 yards. He was the first NFL player to have over 1,000 yards receiving and returning in the same year. He was selected for the 2012 Pro Bowl.

In 2012, Brown signed a five-year contract extension. He continued to be a strong receiver for the Steelers. In 2013, he had 110 receptions for 1,499 yards. He broke a team record for receiving yards. He also became the second Steeler to have 100 catches in a season. Brown was selected for the 2014 Pro Bowl as a receiver and punt returner. He was also named to the All-Pro team.

Brown being pursued by cornerback Coty Sensabaugh in a 2013 game against the Tennessee Titans

In 2014, Brown led the NFL in receptions (129) and receiving yards (1,698). He also tied for second in touchdowns (13). All these were new team records. He was the first Steeler to lead the league in receiving yards since 1968. He was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for a 71-yard punt return touchdown. Brown earned his third Pro Bowl selection.

Continued Success (2015–2018)

Brown with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2015

In 2015, Brown had a career-high 17 catches for 284 yards against the Oakland Raiders. He finished the season with a league-high 136 receptions and 1,834 yards. These numbers broke his own team records. He set an NFL record with four games of at least 175 receiving yards in a season. Brown was named to his fourth Pro Bowl and was a first-team All-Pro.

Brown after a game against the Washington Redskins in 2016

In 2016, Brown continued to perform well. He had 106 receptions for 1,284 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was named to his fifth Pro Bowl and was a first-team All-Pro for the third time. In the playoffs, he had two long touchdown catches against the Miami Dolphins.

In 2017, Brown signed a new five-year contract, making him the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL at the time. He led the league with 1,533 receiving yards. He was the first Steeler to lead the league in receiving yards twice. He was named to his sixth Pro Bowl and was a unanimous first-team All-Pro selection.

Brown in 2018

In 2018, Brown reached 10,000 career receiving yards. He did this in 116 games, one of the fastest in NFL history. He finished the season with 104 receptions for 1,297 yards and a career-high 15 touchdowns. He tied the record for most seasons with 1,000 yards and 100 receptions. After the season, Brown asked to be traded from the Steelers.

Time with Oakland and New England (2019)

In March 2019, Brown was traded to the Oakland Raiders. He expressed excitement about joining the team. However, his time with the Raiders was short. He missed practices due to a foot injury and issues with his helmet. He also had a verbal disagreement with the Raiders' general manager. Brown was released by the Raiders on September 7, 2019.

The same day, Brown signed a one-year contract with the New England Patriots. He played one game for the Patriots, catching four passes for 56 yards and a touchdown. He was released by the Patriots on September 20, 2019.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Super Bowl Win (2020–2021)

Brown warming-up with the Buccaneers prior to a playoff game against Washington in 2021

Brown was suspended for the first eight weeks of the 2020 NFL season. He then signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on October 27, 2020. He reunited with his former offensive coordinator, Bruce Arians, who was now the Buccaneers' head coach.

Brown played in eight games for the Buccaneers in 2020. He had 45 receptions for 483 yards and four touchdowns. In the playoffs, he helped the Buccaneers win Super Bowl LV. He caught a touchdown pass from Tom Brady in the Super Bowl. This was Brown's first Super Bowl championship.

Brown during a game in 2021

Brown returned to the Buccaneers for the 2021 season. He was suspended for three games for violating the league's COVID-19 rules. In Week 17, during a game against the New York Jets, Brown left the field during the game. He was officially released by the Buccaneers on January 6, 2022. He finished the season with 42 catches, 545 yards, and four touchdowns in seven games.

Retirement and Comeback Attempts

Brown announced his retirement from professional football on March 2, 2023. However, he later said he would play for the Albany Empire in May 2023, but this did not happen. He announced his second retirement on April 24, 2024.

On November 21, 2024, Brown stated he was coming out of retirement again. He expressed a desire to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers for free for the rest of the 2024 season.

NFL Career Statistics

Legend
	Won the Super Bowl
	Led the league
Bold	Career high

Regular season

Year	Team	Games		Receiving					Rushing					Returning					Fumbles
Year	Team	GP	GS	Rec	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Att	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Ret	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Fum	Lost
2010	PIT	9	0	16	167	10.4	26	0	—	—	—	—	—	36	507	14.1	89T	1	1	0
2011	PIT	16	3	69	1,108	16.1	79T	2	7	41	5.9	10	0	57	1,062	18.6	60T	1	0	0
2012	PIT	13	10	66	787	11.9	60T	5	7	24	3.4	13	0	27	183	6.8	29	0	4	2
2013	PIT	16	14	110	1,499	13.6	56	8	7	4	0.6	10	0	33	425	12.9	67T	1	1	0
2014	PIT	16	16	129	1,698	13.2	63T	13	4	13	3.3	9	0	31	319	10.3	71T	1	2	2
2015	PIT	16	16	136	1,834	13.5	59	10	3	28	9.3	16	0	22	212	9.6	71T	1	3	2
2016	PIT	15	15	106	1,284	12.1	51	12	3	9	3.0	13	0	16	163	10.2	33	0	0	0
2017	PIT	14	14	101	1,533	15.2	51T	9	—	—	—	—	—	11	61	5.5	16	0	3	0
2018	PIT	15	15	104	1,297	12.5	78T	15	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	0	0
2019	NE	1	0	4	56	14.0	20T	1	1	5	5.0	5	0	—	—	—	—	—	0	0
2020	TB	8	4	45	483	10.7	46T	4	2	−2	−1.0	1	0	1	2	2.0	2	0	0	0
2021	TB	7	3	42	545	13.0	62	4	1	6	6.0	6	0	—	—	—	—	—	0	0
Career		146	110	928	12,291	13.2	79T	83	35	128	3.7	16	0	234	2,930	12.5	89T	5	14	6

Postseason

Year	Team	Games		Receiving					Rushing					Returning					Fumbles
Year	Team	GP	GS	Rec	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Att	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Ret	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Fum	Lost
2010	PIT	3	0	5	90	18.0	58	0	—	—	—	—	—	17	262	15.4	38	0	0	0
2011	PIT	1	0	5	70	14.0	25	0	1	18	18.0	18	0	—	—	—	—	—	0	0
2014	PIT	1	1	9	117	13.0	44	0	—	—	—	—	—	1	16	16.0	16	0	0	0
2015	PIT	1	1	7	119	17.0	60	0	—	—	—	—	—	2	8	4.0	6	0	0	0
2016	PIT	3	3	18	309	17.2	62T	2	—	—	—	—	—	5	28	5.6	10	0	0	0
2017	PIT	1	1	7	132	18.9	43T	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	0	0
2020	TB	3	1	8	81	10.1	36	2	1	22	22.0	22	0	—	—	—	—	—	0	0
Career		13	7	59	918	15.6	62T	6	2	40	20.0	22	0	25	314	12.6	38	0	0	0

Albany Empire Ownership

On March 2, 2023, Antonio Brown became part of the ownership group for the Albany Empire. This team played in the National Arena League.

Brown later stated he was the "100 percent owner" of the team. He bought out another owner's share for $1. However, his representatives later said that Brown did not personally own the team. They claimed it was owned by a trust.

Brown also said he wanted to play for the Empire. He would have been the first player-owner in professional football since George Halas. However, he never played in a game for the team. On June 15, the National Arena League ended the Empire's agreement. This was because Brown did not pay league dues and fines.

Other Activities

Brown speaking with attendees at the 2024 AmericaFest at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona

Television Shows

In 2016, Brown competed on season 22 of Dancing with the Stars. He finished in fourth place with his dance partner, Sharna Burgess.

Brown was also featured on an episode of Treehouse Masters in 2018. They built a special treehouse and sports courts in his backyard. In 2019, Brown appeared on the first season of The Masked Singer as "Hippo." He sang "My Prerogative" but was eliminated in the first episode.

Music Career

In 2018, Brown appeared in Drake's music video for "God's Plan". In January 2020, Brown started releasing music under the name AB. His first song was "Whole Lotta Money." He later released "Pit Not The Palace" in January 2022.

Business Ventures

Since February 2022, Brown has been the president of Kanye West's sports fashion line. This line is part of West's company, Donda Sports.

Personal Life

Antonio Brown is a father to five sons and two daughters. He has three sons and a daughter with Chelsie Kyriss. He has three other children with three other women.

In 2019, Brown re-enrolled in online classes at Central Michigan University. He graduated from Central Michigan in December 2023. Brown is the cousin of Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquise Brown. He is also related to former wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins.

Brown supported the Donald Trump 2024 presidential campaign in October 2024.