Article By Teresa Payton // EEW Magazine // Faith + Culture

When news hit the Internet that an NFL team included a gifted and legally embattled wide receiver in a workout, it began trending online.

When my teenage son asked me why the New Orleans Saints were giving Antonio Brown a potential opportunity to play despite allegations of sexual misconduct, the story went from being an Internet trend to a serious conversation in our Christian home.

“The national football league is a business,” I explained to my 15-year-old who told me he feels “conflicted” about it.

I went on to tell him, “If a player has enough talent, sometimes, business-minded people will overlook character deficiencies. That’s why you have to separate the person from the player. Just because someone is a good athlete doesn’t mean they always make good choices.”

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Brown, 31, has been accused of rape in a lawsuit by a former trainer. He also faces allegations that he exposed himself to an artist he hired to paint a mural at his home. He has denied the accusations.

At the time of writing, Saints coach Sean Payton says the football club has no immediate plans to sign Antonio Brown after including him in a workout with six free-agent receivers Friday morning, Dec. 27.

Payton says the Saints are mainly doing their due diligence “on all of those players” and looking at how available players can help the team as it prepares to enter the playoffs.

Earlier in the day, Brown tweeted, “The legacy continues,” leading some to believe that he will land a job, though nothing is set in stone.

The legacy continues
— AB (@AB84) December 27, 2019

Brown has not played since the New England Patriots cut him Sept. 20. There is an ongoing league investigation of the receiver.

“Money, fame, and talent is not a reason to follow someone or assume they are morally right,” I said.

As we talked, my son, who is doing his best to follow Jesus and make sense of a confusing and chaotic world, mentioned other players in the professional football league who have done things wrong and are still employed. Unfortunately, plenty of bad behavior goes unpunished— from substance abuse to domestic abuse.

“I guess talent matters most in sports,” he said.

“You’re right,” I confirmed, adding, “But in God’s Kingdom, character matters most. And that goes for Antonio Brown, you, me, and everyone else.”