Antonio Brown will return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday after missing the last three weeks for faking a COVID-19 vaccination card, the latest misstep for the controversial wide receiver.
He’ll still have a chance to make $1 million in statistical incentives down the stretch.
Brown’s contract includes a trio of performance-related incentives at $333,3333 each for reaching statistical plateaus in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns. None of the benchmarks are unattainable, especially with quarterback Tom Brady throwing to a beleaguered receiving corps that will be without Chris Godwin (done for the season with a torn ACL) and Mike Evans (hamstring) against the Carolina Panthers.
Brown enters Sunday with 29 receptions. If he can secure 21 more catches over the final three games, he’ll earn $333,333. With 418 receiving yards, he gets another $333,333 at the 600-yard mark, per Spotrac.
Brown hauled in four touchdowns in his first six games of the season before a sprained ankle cost him more than a month before the vaccination issue. If he can get to the end zone three more times, that’s will trigger a $333,333 bonus.
Should the Buccaneers hoist the Lombardi Trophy for the second straight season, and Brown plays more than 45% of the Super Bowl snaps, he could earn another $250,000.
Brown’s base salary for the 2021 season was $3.1 mi
Follow Chris Bumbaca on Twitter @BOOMbaca.
