Antonio Brown, the mercurial former wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Pittsburgh Steelers, has filed for bankruptcy.
Brown filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in a Florida federal court on Monday, according to a Times Union report.
He claims to have nearly $3 million in debt to eight creditors and assets worth $50,000 or less. The latter of which is odd considering the address he filed under is, the report states, an 18,000-square-foot, 12-bedroom, 14-bathroom mansion in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Brown played 12 seasons in the NFL and earned over $80 million, including more than $44 million over a three-year stretch with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚: Antonio Brown has filed for bankruptcy and owes eight creditors nearly $3 million.
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) May 22, 2024
Brown earned over $88M in his career…
He now claims he has less than $50,000 in assets.
(via @timesunion) pic.twitter.com/pgNtkAiq5w
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Antonio Brown Addresses Financial Problems, Bankruptcy
Brown himself acknowledged his financial issues and referenced the bankruptcy filing on social media.
“Greatest bankruptcy announcement of all-time,” he wrote in an X post on the same day of the filing. “Generational Run Continues.”
The following day he told followers on X that “I’m broke” and included a QR code where they could submit a Cash App donation.
Antonio Brown’s bankruptcy filing, some critics might contend, appears to be a means of avoiding his financial obligations.
Of the $3 million in debts listed, one is a $1.2 million judgment awarded to a Florida trucker that Brown allegedly assaulted. He failed to show up for the court case in 2022.
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Child Support Issues
Prior to his bankruptcy filing, Antonio Brown also found himself in repeated trouble in regard to paying child support. In 2023, he was arrested multiple times for failing to pay child support.
Brown is mocking the bankruptcy by selling t-shirts online with the date on which he filed with the words “Antonio’s BIG Financial Fumble” emblazoned across the back.
The front features the former NFL player running away from several people he has tangled with in the past. All while holding a bag of money, of course.
AB loves Everyone
— AB (@AB84) May 22, 2024
Does Everyone love AB?
On Sale Now #CTESPNhttps://t.co/W6CwzECd8m https://t.co/XOiXF08a5N pic.twitter.com/11VuzT8HhS
In addition to being unable to pay assault victims and the mothers of his children, Brown famously ran into financial issues with the Albany Empire. He became co-owner of the arena league football team in 2023.
He promptly ran the franchise into the ground, within months getting them kicked out of the National Arena League. Worse, the team’s players and coach reportedly had checks “removed from their bank accounts” according to the Times Union.
Brown is a seven-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro. He won Super Bowl LV with Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
