Antonio Brown's latest outburst should lead to more conversations about head injuries in football, NFL wide receiver says

• The most recent Antonio Brown incident should lead to more conversations about head injuries in football.
• That's according to a Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver, who tweeted that "CTE is REAL."

Antonio Brown's viral outburst should lead to more conversations about head injuries in football, says the former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Daurice Fountain.

Brown stripped topless mid-way through the Tampa Bay Buccaneers win over the New York Jets on Sunday, before storming off the field, giving fans the peace sign as he left.

The Bucs subsequently distanced themselves from Brown, though he has yet to be formally cut from the team.

Though the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport has since reported that Brown's outburst was a response to a conflict with his coaching staff, Fountain's tweet suggested his actions may have been linked to a head injury or mental illness.

"To all the people making fun of the [Antonio Brown] situation is mad lame," tweeted Fountain, who is now on the Chiefs' practice team.

"Mental illness & CTE is REAL and unfortunately it's a real reality for a lot of us in this business."

In 2016, Brown suffered a serious concussion after an illegal hit from Vontaze Burfict of the Cincinnati Bengals. A year later, he then sustained a severe helmet-to-helmet impact the Bengals' George Llhka, per New York Magazine.

Repeated head traumas can lead to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), of which the side effects include memory loss, confusion, impaired judgment, impulse control problems, aggression, depression, and anxiety, according to Boston University.

Brown has previously denied suffering from CTE, which is extremely difficult to diagnose in the living, and there is no medical suggestion that he is suffering from the affliction.

In the past, Brown has also spoken openly about his mental health problems. Last year, he described himself as an "animal in a cage" who needs "mental help."

"Instead of making fun of him and chasing clout, let's figure out a way to give him the HELP he needs," continued Fountain.

Brown's outburst on Sunday was the latest in a long line of incidents involving the 33-year-old in recent years.

Once of the NFL's most revered stars, his fall from grace began in 2018 when he demanded a trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers on Twitter and skipped practice ahead of the final game of the season.

He joined the Las Vegas Raiders in March 2019, however he was cut that September after a turbulent few months that involved a self-inflicted foot injury and arguments over helmet safety.

He was picked up by the New England Patriots almost immediately, but just days after signing he was accused of raping his former personal trainer Britney Taylor in a lawsuit filed in Florida. After another woman came forward and accused him of sexual misconduct two weeks later, Brown was cut by the Patriots.

Other incidents involving Brown since leaving New England include facing charges of felony burglary of a vehicle and misdemeanor battery; throwing penis-shaped gummies at the police; and obtaining a fake COVID-19 vaccination card.

Brown's situation has drawn comparisons to former Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry, whose career crumbled amid a string of off-field incidents between 2005 and 2009.

Henry died in an automobile accident in 2009 and was it was later discovered in his autopsy that he had "severe" CTE.

Whether Brown's behavior can be attributed in any way to CTE is unknown, and will likely never be known given the difficulty in diagnosing the disorder.

However his Bucs teammate and close friend Tom Brady has, like Fountain, urged that he is given help.

"I think everybody should ... hopefully do what they can to help him in ways that he really needs it," Brady said after Sunday's incident.

"We all love him. We care about him deeply. We wanna see him be his best, and unfortunately, he won't be with our team ... I think everyone should be very compassionate and empathetic towards some very difficult things that are happening."