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Jan. 3 (UPI) -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will move on without Antonio Brown after he tore off his equipment and left the stadium in the third quarter of the team's Week 17 win over the New York Jets, coach Bruce Arians said. "He is no longer a Buc, that's the end of the story," Arians told reporters in his postgame news conference Sunday in East Rutherford, N.J. "Let's talk about the guys that were out there to win the game."
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Brown recorded three catches for 26 yards in the 28-24 win at MetLife Stadium. In the third quarter, cameras caught the wide receiver taking off his jersey on the Buccaneers sideline.
Brown pulled his pads off over his head and tossed them to the ground. He then walked down the sideline and threw more equipment into the stands. He jogged through the end zone, waved his arms to excite the crowd and ended the episode by exiting through the tunnel.
Photos later surfaced on social media of Brown standing outside the stadium waiting for a ride from his personal driver. The driver also posted photos and videos of himself with Brown in his car on his Instagram account.
Brown released a rap song titled Pit Not the Palace on social media hours after the incident. He also posted three times to Instagram.
"Football is what we do, not who we are," Brown wrote in one of the posts.
In another post, the 12-year veteran thanked the Buccaneers for the opportunity to play.
Arians told Fox Sports that he attempted to put Brown into the game in the third quarter, but Brown twice refused his request. He then told Brown not to return to the game.
Brown signed a one-year, $3.8 million contract with the Buccaneers in May. He won a Super Bowl with the franchise in February. He totaled 42 catches for 545 yards and four scores in seven games this season.
"It's obviously a difficult situation," Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady said of Brown in his postgame news conference. "I think everybody should do what they can to help him in ways that he needs.
"We all love him. We care about him deeply. We want to see him be at his best. Unfortunately it won't be with our team. ... I think everyone should be very compassionate and empathetic toward some very difficult things that are happening."
The meltdown could also prove costly for Brown. The seven-time Pro Bowl selection and four-time All-Pro will likely miss out on nearly $1 million in contract incentives.
Brown's deal features $333,333 bonuses for reaching several statistical benchmarks, including: 50 catches, 700 receiving yards and five touchdowns, according to Spotrac.com, a sports contract database.
Brown needed just eight catches, 65 yards and one score to reach those respective benchmarks and cash in on the $999,999 worth of incentives.
The Buccaneers, who already clinched an NFC South division title, lost starting wide receiver Chris Godwin in Week 15 to a season-ending ACL injury. Mike Evans, Breshad Perriman, Cyril Grayson, Scotty Miller, Tyler Johnson, Justin Watson and Jaelon Darden remain on the team's depth chart at wide receiver.
The Buccaneers (12-4) host the Carolina Panthers (5-11) in their final regular-season game at 4:25 p.m. EST Sunday at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla.
