Antonio Bryant
| Career information | |||||||
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| College: | Pittsburgh | ||||||
| NFL draft: | 2002 / Round: 2 / Pick: 63 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of Week 17, 2009 | |||||||
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Antonio Bryant (born March 9, 1981 in Miami, Florida) is an American football wide receiver currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Pittsburgh.
Bryant has also played for the Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
College career
While playing college football at the University of Pittsburgh, Bryant won the Fred Biletnikoff Award in 2000, as the most outstanding college wide receiver. He accomplished this feat as a sophomore; the only other person to do so was Randy Moss until fellow Panther Larry Fitzgerald achieved the feat in 2003. Michael Crabtree also won the award as a sophomore in 2008 and a Freshman in 2007.
Professional career
Dallas Cowboys
Bryant was selected in the 2002 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys, but in 2004 he was traded to the Cleveland Browns for wide receiver Quincy Morgan after a heated exchange with head coach Bill Parcells.
Cleveland Browns
Bryant spent the 2004 and 2005 seasons with the Browns before becoming a free agent.
San Francisco 49ers
Bryant would later sign as a free agent with the 49ers in 2006.
On March 1, 2007 Bryant was released by the 49ers because of clashes with head coach Mike Nolan. This came one year after he signed a four year, $14 million dollar contract.[1]
Reinstatement
On September 17, 2007, Bryant was reinstated by the league, but was not able to sign with a team, partly because of a failed drug test over the summer. In October 2007, he filed a lawsuit against the NFL to try to get them to stop drug testing him since he is not currently a player, and to drop the failed drug test.[1] In December 2007, the case was resolved without the details being released.[2]
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
On March 10, 2008, Bryant signed a deal for the veteran minimum with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He had a career game on Monday Night Football against the Carolina Panthers. He had 9 receptions for 200 yards, including a one-handed touchdown catch dubbed "catch of the year". Despite his performance, the Buccaneers lost 38-23. Bryant finished the 2008 season with 83 catches for 1,248 yards and 7 touchdowns while averaging 15 yards per catch. He was the Buccaneers' leading receiver. On February 18, 2009, Bryant was given the franchise tag by the Buccaneers[3], which he accepted on February 26, 2009. On February 25, 2010, after a somewhat disappointing and injury-plagued season, Antonio Bryant was released by the Buccaneers.
Cincinnati Bengals
On March 10, 2010 Bryant signed a 4-year contract with the Cincinnati Bengals worth a reported $28 million, along with multiple incentives. [4]
After the Bengals signing of WR Terrell Owens, Bryant gave up his number 81 for Owens, who has worn the number his entire career. In return for the number, Bryant requested Owens make a donation to his charity.[5] About the number switch Bryant said: "I'm a realist," "I said, 'Hey, man, I'm not going to make no big spectacle about it. You've got a bigger legacy and a number than I do. I've been on several teams like you, but I've changed my number several times. You've had the same number."
"I don't need your money,'" Bryant said. "'All I want you to do is take care of one of my little league programs in Miami. Send them a small donation and we'll go from there.'" He now was wearing jersey number 19 while attending the Cincinnati Bengals training camp in Georgetown, Kentucky where Chad Ochocinco, Terrell Owens, Andre Caldwell, Jordan Shipley, Dezmon Briscoe, Jerome Simpson, Matt Jones, and Bryant himself have been catching passes from quarterbacks Carson Palmer, J.T. O'Sullivan, Jordan Palmer. [6] On August 29, 2010, it was announced that Antonio Bryant's contract was terminated by the Bengals, making him a free agent.
References
- ^ a b "Ex-49ers receiver Bryant files motion over drug testing". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2007-10-27.
- ^ "Bryant seeks dismissal of lawsuit against NFL". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2007-12-12.
- ^ Stroud, Rick; Holder, Stephen F. (February 20, 2009), "Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Antonio Bryant 'not happy or pleased' with franchise player tag, agent says", St. Petersburg Times
{{citation}}: Unknown parameter|lastauthoramp=ignored (|name-list-style=suggested) (help) - ^ "Bengals sign Bryant to four-year, $28M deal while T.O. visit". March 10, 2010.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|name=ignored (help) - ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/trainingcamp10/news/story?id=5419405
- ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/trainingcamp10/news/story?id=5419405