Antonio Brown says he'll pursue lawsuit against Tampa Bay Buccaneers over release

TAMPA, Fla. — Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown and his attorney, Sean Burstyn, said Tuesday that they intend to pursue legal action against the Buccaneers for releasing him after he said he was too injured to continue playing against the New York Jets earlier this month and claimed coach Bruce Arians ignored his pleas to not re-enter the game.

Appearing on HBO's «Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel,» Burstyn said they not only will pursue money for Brown's ankle surgery and money they feel he is owed by the NFL's collective bargaining agreement, but they also are looking into a possible civil lawsuit in the form of defamation for the Bucs claiming he had a spontaneous mental health episode.

«Tony [Brown] was defamed by this spin that he had a mental health episode that makes him someone who's not reliable to do a good job on the field,» Burstyn said. «So we're pursuing internally all of our rights under the CBA and considering them and maybe stepping outside of the CBA.

»All of our options are on the table. We're going to hold to account the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Bruce Arians, the general manager to the extent anyone who's responsible for this spin that Antonio isn't reliable to do a good job playing football because he doesn't have the mental fortitude to do it. They'll be held to account."

Brown and his attorney would not provide a monetary figure on how much they're seeking.

«A whole lot of money. A whole lot,» Brown said, adding that he was shown disrespect with the team questioning his mental health.

«So to drag people along and play on people's mental health, you know, is so unfair and unfortunate,» he said.

Burstyn said that he has evidence that general manager Jason Licht texted him after the