While Antonio Brown's time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn't end well and he may have said some ugly things about Tom Brady, he showed nothing but respect for the QB in his retirement.

Hours after Brady confirmed that he is calling it a career after 22 years in the NFL, Brown took to Instagram to pay tribute to his former QB. He congratulated Brady and called him the GOAT (Greatest of all time) before thanking the veteran signal-caller for giving him the opportunity to continue playing and win at the highest level even in his most problematic times.

“I’m forever grateful for the opportunity to play with you, thank you for enabling me to continue my career in my darkest times and helping me become a champion. I am thankful for your leadership and winning mentality to make people around you better,” Brown wrote alongside a highlight reel of him and Brady where he narrates his thoughts about the QB.

Tom Brady was the biggest supporter of Antonio Brown, even campaigning for the Buccaneers to sign him back in 2020 despite some pushback from Bruce Arians and the front office. That paid off big time for Tampa Bay and Brown as they went on to win Super Bowl LV.

Unfortunately, the smooth relationship didn't last long when Brown exited mid-game in Week 17 against the New York Jets. A lot has been said about the incident–from Brown saying he was injured but was being forced to play and the team refuting that idea. In the end, however, the two sides parted ways in a rather messy way,

Despite that ugly ending, though, it is clear that Brown still has appreciation for what Brady did for him and that's all what matters.

 

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