Chad Johnson Breaks Down in Tears Reflecting on Antonio Brown’s Arrest: “I Don’t Think AB Knew How Special He Was”

A grief-stricken Chad Johnson had a hard time digesting Antonio Brown's downfall from being one of the greats of football to an alleged criminal.

Chad Johnson Breaks Down in Tears Reflecting on Antonio Brown’s Arrest: “I Don’t Think AB Knew How Special He Was”

Chad Johnson and Antonio Brown (Image via IMAGO)

Antonio Brown‘s arrest caused great pain to Chad Johnson. The former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver broke down in tears while discussing Brown on the latest episode of Shannon Sharpe‘s Nightcap podcast.

Brown made a name for himself with the Pittsburgh Steelers a few years after Johnson hung up his boots for good. Johnson witnessed the rise of Brown firsthand and, like many, he viewed fellow Florida native as among the best in the game.

You gotta understand [that] we all grew up together. We all come from the same area. We all trained together. When he was at Northern High School. When he was in high school.

Johnson told Sharpe

Johnson kept tabs on Brown when he played for Central Michigan. They would often organize training sessions, including legends like Santana Moss and Andre Johnson.

Brown showed signs of CTE around this time. His off-field antics made more noise than his magic on the gridiron. It led the Steelers to cut ties with him. Brown bounced around the rosters of the Las Vegas Raiders and then the New England Patriots before winning his first and only Super Bowl ring with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

In 2021, Brown left the Bucs and stepped away from football. Since then, he has become a social outcast, living recklessly and stirring up controversy online.

I tried to talk to him. I tried because bro. I’m talking about people understanding. I sent like a broken heart. When I saw, you know what happened. When I saw the news on Twitter. And people like, Why did you send it? Man, it’s history. This ain’t got nothing to do with football.

Johnson said

Authorities arrest Antonio Brown on attempted murder charges

Brown’s life took a tragic turn earlier this week. U.S. Marshals arrested and extradited him from Dubai to the States to prosecute him on attempted murder charges.

Chad Johnson Breaks Down in Tears Reflecting on Antonio Brown's Arrest: “I Don’t Think AB Knew How Special He Was”
Antonio Brown (Image via IMAGO)

Readers may be wondering what Brown was doing in Dubai. The answer is self-explanatory. He took refuge in the Middle East to avoid getting arrested.

Brown fled to Dubai in June, one month after he allegedly fired bullets outside a Miami establishment. The Miami-Dade police briefly cuffed Brown, but he was allowed to walk following a verbal warning.

However, the police issued an arrest warrant when they discovered footage of Brown chasing a man with a firearm. Shortly after the incident, Brown uploaded videos to prove that he was in Dubai. His exile lasted a little over six months.

I don’t think AB knew how special he was… It just made me sad to see, for somebody that special, to understand all the obstacles and the sacrifices he went through to get to where [he was] at, and then just to let it go like that.

an emotional Johnson said

At 37, Brown may no longer be young enough to play football, but his legacy could have been very different if he had stayed with the game he fell in love with as a child. It’s an unfortunate closure for a player who was bound for the Hall of Fame with 4 All-Pros, 7 Pro Bowls, and a ring.

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