TAMPA, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will not have wide receiver Antonio Brown for Sunday’s NFC Championship Game at the Green Bay Packers, coach Bruce Arians announced Friday.
“I just talked to him this morning, and putting him on the plane and flying over there and making the lake swell makes no sense,” Arians said. “It wasn’t as close as we’d hoped, so we’re going to get it ready for the next one.”
Brown sustained a knee injury in the divisional playoff game at the New Orleans Saints, playing just 27 snaps. He didn’t exercise this week.
Arians had described him as “day by day,” but Brown was unable to progress quickly enough in his recovery.
The former All-Pro led the Buccaneers in receiving goals in the last five weeks of the regular season and had a 36-yard touchdown in their wildcard win over Washington. Brown also has experience playing in two league games and a Super Bowl, something few other players on this squad have outside of Tom Brady.
“Obviously, it’s worthless to Antonio. We wish he could be with us, ”Brady said. “Other guys will have to come up and get the job done. I have a lot of faith in the guys who weren’t there that often when AB was there.”
Arians said he believes Scotty Miller and rookie Tyler Johnson will be able to perform. Johnson made an important third-down catch for 15 yards against the Saints. Miller had one flyout for 29 yards against New Orleans, but he was on the receiving side of some of Brady’s best deep passes this season – a 33-yard touchdown grab against the Las Vegas Raiders and a 48-yard touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings.
“I think if you look at last week when Scotty and Tyler played those huge pieces in the fourth quarter, the confidence that the coaches and Tom have in those guys just because they earned it. Their performance earned it. Arians said. “Antonio will be missed, but we have skilled people intervening.”
Arians said there is a possibility that defensive tackle Vita Vea will play after returning to practice this week for the first time since his ankle fracture in week 5.
“He’s really looking good. He’s been around for almost three weeks and he had a good workout yesterday and a good one today,” said Arians. ‘We haven’t made that decision yet, but we’ll see whether we want to activate it or not. There is a chance.’