Antonio Brown had worn No. 84 his entire NFL career before joining the Patriots, where he was forced to switch due to that jersey number already belonging to Ben Watson.
The 31-year-old wide receiver went with No. 17, and it turns out that number wasn't randomly chosen. Brown opened up about why he picked that number in a video posted to his YouTube channel on Thursday.
"You know, my dad always inspired me, you know what I mean? From his work ethic, following commitment. No. 17, you know, I’ve seen that guy make a lot of touchdowns, dedicated his life, sacrificed his life," Brown says in the video. "We got so much similarities, our charisma, the way we approach the field. Seeing me and seeing my dad is like seeing two identical guys.
"It’s kind of rare. You know it’s like seeing your son but more so like your brother. You know, our mannerisms, the way we approach the game, the way we make people feel. A lot of similarities between me and my dad. I’m glad he’s my dad.”
Watch below:
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Brown’s father, Eddie Brown, played in the Arena Football League from 1994-2003 and wore No. 17 with the Albany/Indiana Firebirds.
On Thursday, Brown addressed the media for the first time since joining the Patriots and was decidedly Belichickian in his answers. He'll look to follow his Pats debut with another strong performance on Sunday vs. the Jets in Foxboro.
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