Buccaneers linebacker Devin White and wide receiver Antonio Brown had a close bond during their time together in Tampa Bay. Now, two years after Brown’s departure from the team, White, now with the Eagles, praised AB’s generosity in an interview on the Pivot Podcast.
White mentioned that Brown was always willing to help the younger players, whether with “Knowledge” or “the shirt off his back.” “He always encouraged the younger boys,” said the linebacker.
However, during the infamous incident at MetLife Stadium, White witnessed a side of Brown he never expected. The star WR abruptly left the game and caused a scene by removing his jersey and padding.
When asked how the star linebacker felt at that moment, White replied: “Man, I was kind of mad, you know. Because AB and I were really close.”
Devin then recalled the details of the highly anticipated game against the New York Jets on January 2, 2022, and how he sat next to AB on the plane before the game. However, neither he nor anyone else suspected that AB would end up behaving erratically.
Devin came onto the court next and told how HC Jim Caldwell asked him to check on Antonio because he noticed him getting agitated, but White was confused because he was focused on getting onto the court.
Although White mentioned that he wanted to step in and intervene, the situation quickly spiraled out of control and led to AB’s public breakdown.
In particular, Antonio Brown’s outburst at MetLife Stadium is a significant drama in NFL history. The incident quickly went viral and sparked strong reactions among fans.
Tampa Bay eventually had to terminate his contract, effectively ending AB’s NFL career as we know it. Since then, the former wide receiver has pulled questionable stunts, and few people support him anymore.
When we turn the focus to Devin White, this is not the time when the linebacker praises his former teammate.
AB and media monitoring have helped Devin White achieve peak performance
After winning the Super Bowl in 2021, White shared in an interview on 104.5 FM in Baton Rouge that media criticism as well as the influence of his then-teammates Tom Brady and Antonio Brown played a significant role in elevating his performance throughout the season.
First, White, who debuted in 2019, mentioned that he “still not taken into account, although they are great in terms of numbers” and how those taunts motivated him to improve his coverage skills, leading to more pass breakups and interceptions.
White then praised TB12 and Brown in particular, saying: “Man, look at Tom Brady and Antonio Brown… AB is one of the hardest training people I’ve ever seen.” He continued:
“He and I are really good friends. That motivated me even more. Like, ‘OK, here on this practice field you have to prove yourself. And the game is going to be really easy because you’ve done all the work at 100 miles an hour. So when you get into the game, you’re going to be going 150 miles an hour, but you’re going to do it right.'”
Most notably, during the Super Bowl game against the Kansas City Chiefs, White recorded 12 tackles, two of which resulted in a loss, and tied the game with an interception in the end zone on a pass from Patrick Mahomes. That play led the Buccaneers to victory in the big game after 18 years and gave the linebacker his first NFL championship.
However, two seasons after AB was fired by Tampa Bay, Devin decided to trade after negotiations for a contract extension failed. In March 2024, it was finally announced that the Philadelphia Eagles had signed White to a one-year, $4 million deal.
