Antonio Brown files for bankruptcy despite a reported $80 million in NFL career earnings

Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Former NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown earned more than $80 million during his 12-year career, according to Spotrac. Yet the seven-time Pro Bowler filed for bankruptcy in federal court on Monday, according to the Florida Times-Union.

Court documents reviewed by the Times-Union show Brown owes nearly $3 million to at least eight creditors. Among them is a Florida truck driver who was awarded $1.2 million after Brown reportedly assaulted him. The driver was awarded the sum when Brown did not appear in court for the lawsuit. 

KCB Marketing sued Brown for allegedly not paying commissions on more than $2 million in earnings from marketing deals, the Tampa Bay Times reported in 2021. Last year, Avanti Solutions sued Brown, alleging the Wisconsin company was owed $28,589 for work done for Brown during his appearance at the "Rolling Loud" concert in Los Angeles, according to Fox Sports. 

Additionally, court documents said Brown owes hundreds of thousands in credit card debt and $296 to a South Florida plumber.

He filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, claimed less than $50,000 in assets and said he is unable to pay at least three six-figure civil judgments.

USA Today points out that Brown was sued in 2018 for throwing furniture off a balcony that nearly struck a toddler. The following year, he was sued by his personal chef and was accused in another lawsuit of sexual assault. It's not clear if those lawsuits were mentioned in the bankruptcy filing documents. 

Brown made light of the bankruptcy filing on social media. 

His "@CtespnN" account posted a video with a scene from "The Office" in which the character Michael Scott yells, "I declare bankruptcy," then shows Brown running out of his house and into a backyard. On his personal "@AB84" account, he shared a joke about taking "the Madden curse to new heights." Brown was the cover athlete for the 2018 edition of the popular video game.

Brown last appeared in an NFL game on Jan. 2, 2022. While playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he left a game versus the New York Jets in the second half, taking off his jersey and shoulder pads before doing jumping jacks in an end zone, waving to the crowd and running into the tunnel.