Patriots fans react to Antonio Brown’s release, sad to see him go

By: Ellie Romano
Email: ERomano@ABC6.com
Twitter: @ERomanoABC6
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (WLNE) – Antonio Brown was only a member of the Patriots for 11 days and one NFL game, but during that time developed a large fan base in New England.
Many fans were shocked and saddened to hear about his release from the team on Friday.
“It’s an upset for sure,” said Pats fan Christopher Hansiko.
“My first reaction was disappointment,” echoed fellow fan Keywa Walker.
While the news came as a blow to many fans, some said they saw it coming.
“If he can’t follow the rules, I don’t think [he] should be with us in the first place,” said Hansiko.
Fans said they’re aware of Brown’s unfavorable reputation off the field, but were hoping he would have been straightened out by Patriots coach Bill Belichick.
However, fans said they aren’t going to miss the drama Brown has brought to the Patriots fandom.
“Unfortunately the patriots get pinpointed a certain way, and this does not help whatsoever,” said Hansiko.
Friday night, Brown responded to the release on Twitter, tweeting “Just got fired on Friday.”
Despite the sudden shakeup, Pats fans don’t think the team will skip a beat going forward in the season.
“We’re already dominant without him. Antonio was only there for a week, so he doesn’t really change much,” said fan Phalendy Cheng.
Even though the Patriots released Brown, some fans think he may make a return to New England in the future.
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