As if superstar receiver Antonio Brown wasn’t already widely considered to be a polarizing figure in the NFL, he will now join arguably the league’s most-polarizing franchise in signing with the New England Patriots. The Patriots are one of the NFL’s most popular teams, but they’re also the most despised; in many ways, they represent the perfect match for Brown.
While both sides have their work cut out for them if the marriage is going to work, the deal is certainly garnering plenty of diverse and impassioned reactions around the country. Most New England beat reporters and fans are split somewhere between unbridled enthusiasm, cautious optimism, and disappointed skepticism.