Is Antonio Brown's Ankle Healthy Enough For an NFL Return?

Not only has Antonio Brown been kicked off of more than three teams in his 12-year career, but now he’s refused to get ankle surgery to be a viable free agent signing.

Until he gets surgery to fix the ankle injury he suffered with the Buccaneers, he is unlikely to sign with any NFL team, according to the Pro Football Docs.

In the offseason, Brown showed an MRI of his injured ankle and said, “I need to get my ankle fixed, but I want to make sure I have an obligation from a team.”

As the Pro Football Docs detailed in February, the MRI showed a significant bone spur that likely requires surgery. That surgery carries a recovery timeline of roughly three months.

It's unlikely a team will risk team chemistry and younger player development for an injured player that could miss up to three months after surgery. To prove Brown is serous about playing again in the NFL he needs to get surgery so he can pass a physical. 

Before Brown injured his ankle with the Buccaneers, he had some notorious other ailments. First, during his time with Pittsburgh Steelers, he got a concussion after being hit illegally across the middle of the field by Vontaze Burfict, which caused Brown to miss the rest of the playoffs. 

Then in 2019, during his time with the Oakland Raiders, he froze his foot in a cryotherapy chamber and ended up never playing a game for the Raiders after getting released.

Even though he sustained multiple injuries in his last couple of seasons, Brown has produced seven seasons of over 1,000 yards and five seasons with nine or more touchdowns. He was a dominant player that couldn’t be stopped even after the significant concussion. While playing for the Steelers, Brown showed grit and resilience. He will need to prove these things to any team trying to sign him. But, until then, don’t look for Brown to be signed by an NFL team.

Even though his last three seasons in the NFL weren't as productive as his Steelers year. Brown still registered 90.0, 85.8, and 87.4 PFF grades, proving that elite play follows when he’s on the field. So once Brown proves to any team that he’s willing to get the surgery, he has a higher chance of being signed.