Antonio Brown has lost millions as a result of his own decisions and behavior. He can make up to $2.5 million this season.
Albert Breer of SI.com has the details on Brown’s one-year deal with the Buccaneers.
Brown receives a base salary rate of $1.416 million, which translates to $750,000 over the final nine weeks of the season.
He gets another $31,250 for every game that includes Brown on the active roster, up to $250,000 for the season. He will receive another $250,000 for six touchdowns and a playoff appearance. He’s eligible for another $250,000 for 650 yards and a playoff appearance. He will earn another $250,000 for 45 receptions and a playoff appearance.
Finally, he gets $750,000 for 35 percent playing time and a Super Bowl win.
The use of individual incentives could create a potential problem, if Brown isn’t being used as much as he’d like to be used. As it stands, he’ll need to average 5.6 catches per game, 81.25 yards per game, and 0.75 touchdowns per game to get up to $750,000 on top of his salary and per-game roster bonuses.
The last $750,000 is tied to both a Super Bowl win and a workload much more significant than cameo/insurance policy.
And so it could become a challenge for Brown to not become frustrated if he’s not on track to earn those incentives. (Bruce Arians reportedly will tell Brown, “Be a team player, or be gone.”)
Regardless, a lot of very good things will have to happen for him and the Buccaneers to unlock a maximum package of $2.5 million, making it a low-risk, high-reward proposition for the Buccaneers -- even if one of the intangible costs of the transaction is a slice of their soul.