Any lingering thoughts about Antonio Brown joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers can be tossed in the trash.
In case you didn't believe NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport's report last week that the Bucs wouldn't be signing the wide receiver, coach Bruce Arians put an emphatic stamp on the situation Thursday.
Asked by Tiki Barber on the "Tiki and Tierney" show on CBS Sports Network about the likelihood of signing AB, the coach was unequivocal.
"Yeah, it's not gonna happen," Arians said, via ESPN. "There's no room. And probably not enough money. But it's not gonna happen -- it's not a fit here."
Pushed about the need to replace Breshad Perriman on the outside of the formation, Arians eschewed excuses about money or depth and went right to chemistry.
"Yeah, I just know him, and -- it's not a fit in our locker room," Arians said.
While Tom Brady might carry an affinity for Brown from their brief time together, Arians' experience with the receiver carries more weight at this stage.
There were several reasons why AB signing in TB never passed a critique, including the Bucs already having two star receivers in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.
The relationship between Brown and Arians would have needed massive amounts of super glue to fix after the coach called the receiver out for being a "diva" last year, to which Brown fired back.
There is also the lingering league issues for Brown, who could be facing a lengthy suspension for multiple off-field incidents that the league is continuing to investigate.
The reasons for the Bucs not signing AB were evident from the start. Arians, however, made them crystal clear just in case anyone was holding out a strained hope.
