Antonio Brown has been associated with five teams this year—the Steelers, Raiders, Bills, Patriots, and Saints.

All have been eliminated or failed to make the playoffs, which he chalks up to the “Antonio Brown Curse.”

That curse is real, but not for the reason he thinks.

Antonio Brown needs to face a few uncomfortable facts if he wants to salvage his NFL career. Chief among these is that football people – fans, players, coaches, and even executives – are a superstitious lot.

One thing they do not like is anything involving the word “curse.”

It may sound silly, and most in the professional realm will deny ever giving a “curse” the time of day. But they are aware of them—and no one likes them. So, when Antonio Brown caught wind of the “Antonio Brown Curse,” a smarter player would have ignored it.

This is Antonio Brown we are talking about, though. When was the last time he did the smart thing?

.@AB84 wants to be known as "Mr. Big Chest" as he continues to reiterate that he’s done with the Steelers 👀 ➡️ https://t.co/nPlZ4toMh7 pic.twitter.com/ow5E73YxxK — Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) February 19, 2019

The Antonio Brown Curse

Antoni Brown spent last weekend like most weekends – on Twitter. He unveiled his cringeworthy new music video, and he also said he wants to play with Tom Brady and no one else next season.

Had he left it at that, everything would have been fine.

But this is Antonio Brown we are talking about. He never leaves well enough alone.

He sent out one absent-minded tweet that even he was bright enough to delete—but not until it could be captured and shared by fans:

Then he shared another thought that he probably saw on another Twitter feed first. While his intent was likely to point out how these teams failed without him, that was not the message most received from this gem:

He probably saw the “curse” as a diss, but all it proves is that any NFL team associated with him suffered a painful end to their season. So, if you are thinking of signing him—don’t, or you will lose, too.

Curses Are Ridiculous – But That Doesn’t Mean They Don’t Matter

Remember: football personnel are an extremely superstitious lot.

If they find something they believe helps, it doesn’t matter how absurd it is—they stick with it. Does it really help? Probably not, but if it can provide a psychological lift, it can’t hurt.

Does that mean curses should be respected?

Tom Brady doesn't believe in the "Madden Curse" 🐐 pic.twitter.com/HqHjr8F2zI — NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) May 12, 2017

That’s up to the individual. Most players could care less about the infamous Madden Curse. But fans always campaign for the star on their rival’s team to make the Madden cover—not their team’s franchise player.

Most NFL executives are not going to look at this tweet and think “curse.” All they’re going to see is the evidence that Brown has been trouble for multiple teams. That means it isn’t an isolated event. It is a pattern of conduct – an infection that festers long after he leaves.

Do they want to add their team’s name to the list? Probably not.