Career Timeline of Antonio Brown: Major Achievements and Milestones
Discover the career path of Antonio Brown, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
Antonio Brown, a former NFL wide receiver, primarily known for his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers, is considered one of the best receivers of the 2010s. Drafted in the sixth round in 2010, Brown earned four consecutive first-team All-Pro selections (2014–2017) while with the Steelers and led the league in receptions from 2010 to 2018. Before his NFL career, he played college football at Central Michigan, earning All-American honors as a punt returner in 2008 and 2009.
1968: Roy Jefferson Led the League
In 1968, Roy Jefferson was the last Steeler to lead the league in receiving yards before Antonio Brown.
1992: Central Michigan Defeats Michigan State Since 1992
In 2009, Central Michigan secured their first triumph over the Spartans since 1992.
1997: Broke Single-Season Team Record
On December 22, in Week 16 of 1997, Antonio Brown broke Yancey Thigpen's single-season team record of 1,398 receiving yards.
2001: Steve Smith records kickoff return touchdown
In 2010, Antonio Brown became the first player since Steve Smith did it for the Carolina Panthers in 2001, to record a kickoff return touchdown in his first career game.
2005: North Athlete of the Year at Miami-Dade Gridiron Classic
In 2005, Antonio Brown was named North Athlete of the Year at the Miami-Dade Gridiron Classic.
2007: Freshman season at Central Michigan
In 2007, Antonio Brown began attending Central Michigan University and earned the Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year and All-Conference as a returner.
2007: Attends Central Michigan
In 2007, Antonio Brown began attending and playing college football for the Central Michigan Chippewas.
2008: All-American Honors
In 2008, Antonio Brown earned All-American honors as a punt returner while playing college football for the Central Michigan Chippewas.
2008: Sophomore season at Central Michigan
In 2008, Antonio Brown started every game during his sophomore season at Central Michigan and led the conference in punt and kick return yards.
September 26, 2009: Two Touchdown Game Against Akron
On September 26, 2009, Antonio Brown had nine receptions for 89 receiving yards and a season-high two receiving touchdowns against the Akron Zips.
2009: Record-Setting Season at Central Michigan
Antonio Brown finished 2009 with single-season bests of 110 receptions, 1,198 receiving yards, and nine touchdowns, contributing to a historic season for Central Michigan.
2009: Second year of All-American Honors
In 2009, Antonio Brown earned All-American honors as a punt returner while playing college football for the Central Michigan Chippewas.
2009: Last Year at Central Michigan Chippewas
In 2009, Antonio Brown played his last season for the Central Michigan Chippewas.
January 6, 2010: Last collegiate game
On January 6, 2010, Antonio Brown played his last collegiate game against the Troy Trojans in the GMAC Bowl, where he had a season-high 13 receptions for 178 yards.
June 15, 2010: Signed with the Steelers
On June 15, 2010, Antonio Brown signed a three-year contract with the Steelers for $1.28 million, including a signing bonus of $73,075.
2010: Pre-Draft Evaluations and NFL Combine
In 2010, Antonio Brown entered the NFL draft and participated in the NFL combine, where he worked to improve his dash times, and was projected as a fifth or sixth round draft selection.
2010: Drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers
In 2010, Antonio Brown was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the sixth round of the NFL draft. Despite being a late-round pick, he is considered one of the best receivers of the 2010s.
2010: Steelers Finish Atop AFC North
The Steelers finished the 2010 season atop the AFC North and earned the #2-seed with a 12–4 record.
January 15, 2011: First Postseason Game
On January 15, 2011, Antonio Brown appeared in his first postseason game and caught a 58-yard pass to set up the game-winning touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens.
2011: Reunion with Bruce Arians
In 2011, Antonio Brown was coached by Bruce Arians when Arians was the offensive coordinator with the Pittsburgh Steelers. This connection later led to them reuniting in 2020 when Brown joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
January 8, 2012: AFC Wild Card Round
On January 8, 2012, Antonio Brown caught five passes for 70 yards in the AFC Wild Card Round against the Denver Broncos.
July 28, 2012: Signed contract extension with the Steelers
On July 28, 2012, Antonio Brown signed a five-year, $42.5 million contract extension with the Steelers.
2012: Pro Bowl Selection and 1000/1000 Season
In 2012, Antonio Brown became the first player in NFL history to have more than 1,000 yards receiving and returning in the same year. He was selected as a punt returner for the 2012 Pro Bowl.
2012: Training Camp Competition
In 2012, Antonio Brown entered training camp competing to be a starting wide receiver. He and Mike Wallace were named the starters at the position to begin the regular season.
2012: Selected for the 2012 Pro Bowl
In 2012, Antonio Brown was selected as a punt returner for the 2012 Pro Bowl after becoming the first player in NFL history to have more than 1,000 yards receiving and returning in the same year.
December 27, 2013: Selected for Pro Bowl
On December 27, 2013, Antonio Brown was selected for the Pro Bowl as a receiver and a punt returner.
2013: Breaks NFL Record
In 2013, Antonio Brown had a breakout year, becoming the only receiver in NFL history to record five receptions and at least 50 yards in every single game of an NFL season.
January 3, 2014: Named to AP All-Pro Team
On January 3, 2014, Antonio Brown was named to the AP All-Pro team for the first time in his career.
2014: Led NFL in Receptions and Receiving Yards
In 2014, Antonio Brown led the NFL in receptions (129), receiving yards (1,698), and tied for second in touchdowns (13), setting new team records.
2014: First Team All-Pro Selection
In 2014, Antonio Brown received the first of four consecutive first-team All-Pro selections, recognizing his performance as a wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
2015: Leads the League in Receptions
In 2015, Antonio Brown led the league in receptions, continuing his streak of high performance.
December 20, 2016: Fifth Pro Bowl Selection
On December 20, 2016, Antonio Brown earned his fourth consecutive and fifth career Pro Bowl selection and was named First-team All-Pro for the third consecutive time.
2016: Finished Regular Season
In the 2016 regular season, Antonio Brown finished with 106 receptions for 1,284 yards and 12 touchdowns in 15 games, ranking second in career receptions for the Steelers franchise.
January 8, 2017: Two Touchdowns Against the Dolphins
On January 8, 2017, Antonio Brown caught five passes for 124 yards and two touchdowns in a 30–12 victory over the Miami Dolphins in the AFC Wild Card Round game.
February 27, 2017: Signed New Contract
On February 27, 2017, Antonio Brown signed a new five-year contract with the Steelers through the 2021 season, becoming the highest paid wide receiver in the NFL.
2017: Led League in Receiving Yards
Antonio Brown finished the 2017 season with a league-leading 1,533 receiving yards and was named first-team All-Pro.
2017: Fourth consecutive First Team All-Pro Selection
In 2017, Antonio Brown received his fourth consecutive first-team All-Pro selection, recognizing his performance as a wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
2018: Leads the League in Receiving Touchdowns
In 2018, Antonio Brown led the league in receiving touchdowns. This was his last season with the Steelers and his relationship with the team deteriorated.
2018: Final Season with the Steelers
In 2018, Antonio Brown played his last season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Despite leading the league in receiving touchdowns, his relationship with the team soured.
2018: Reached 10,000 Career Receiving Yards
In the season opener of 2018, Antonio Brown reached 10,000 career receiving yards, achieving the milestone in 116 career games.
March 9, 2019: Steelers Agreed to Trade Brown to Raiders
On March 9, 2019, the Steelers agreed to trade Antonio Brown to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for draft selections.
September 7, 2019: Agreed to Contract with the Patriots
On September 7, 2019, the same day he was released by the Raiders, Antonio Brown agreed to a one-year contract with the New England Patriots.
September 22, 2019: Posted Retirement from NFL
On September 22, 2019, Antonio Brown posted on Twitter that he was retiring from the NFL, but later changed his mind.
2019: Traded to the Oakland Raiders and subsequent release
In 2019, Antonio Brown was traded to the Oakland Raiders and became the highest-paid receiver. However, after off-the-field incidents, the team released him. He then signed with the New England Patriots but was cut after one game due to sexual assault allegations.
January 2020: Brown Releases Debut Single
In January 2020, Antonio Brown began releasing music under the initials AB; his debut single was "Whole Lotta Money."
July 20, 2020: Implied Retirement Again
On July 20, 2020, Antonio Brown implied he was retiring again from the NFL, but again expressed interest in playing a few days later.
October 24, 2020: Brown Visits Tampa Bay Buccaneers
On October 24, 2020, Antonio Brown visited the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, marking the beginning of his potential signing with the team.
2020: Signed with Tampa Bay Buccaneers
In 2020, after being a free agent, Antonio Brown signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
April 28, 2021: Brown Agrees to One-Year Deal with Buccaneers
On April 28, 2021, Antonio Brown agreed to a one-year deal to return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, worth $6.25 million.
May 25, 2021: Deal with Buccaneers Becomes Official
On May 25, 2021, Antonio Brown's one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers became official after he passed his physical.
2021: Released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Near the end of the 2021 season, Antonio Brown was released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after removing his uniform and running off the field during a game against the New York Jets, marking a controversial end to his tenure with the team.
January 6, 2022: Brown Officially Released by Buccaneers
On January 6, 2022, Antonio Brown was officially released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers following an incident where he left the field during a game.
January 2022: Brown Releases 'Pit Not The Palace'
In January 2022, Antonio Brown released "Pit Not The Palace", hours after he ran off the field during a Buccaneers–Jets game.
February 2022: Brown Becomes President of Donda Sports Fashion Line
Since February 2022, Antonio Brown has been the president of Kanye West's sports fashion line which is part of West's creative content company Donda Sports.
March 2, 2023: Brown Announces Retirement
On March 2, 2023, Antonio Brown announced his retirement from professional football.
April 28, 2023: Brown Unretires with Plans to Play for Albany Empire
On April 28, 2023, Antonio Brown unretired from professional football with the intention of playing for the Albany Empire.
April 24, 2024: Brown Announces Second Retirement
On April 24, 2024, Antonio Brown announced his second retirement via the CTESPN Network, retiring as a Las Vegas Raider.
November 21, 2024: Brown Expresses Willingness to Play for Steelers
On November 21, 2024, Antonio Brown released a statement coming out of retirement and expressing a willingness to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers for free for the remainder of the 2024 season.
