Bucs Coach Bruce Arians on AB's Vaccination Status: 'We Did Our Due Diligence'

Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians has no doubt that star wide receiver Antonio Brown did not receive a fake COVID-19 vaccination card. Arians told reporters on Friday that his team's medical staff did its job in gathering accurate player vaccine cards. 

Arians, who has also dealt with numerous health complications, also went on the Rich Eisen Show and said "there is no story" when it comes to the latest developments concerning Brown.

"He says he is vaccinated and he has a card just like everybody else on our football team," Arians said on the show. "There's a trust factor that goes along with it. We did our due diligence, the league will look into the matter and do their due diligence. It's really no story."

The Buccaneers released a statement on Thursday saying that all Buccaneers players "completed vaccination cards" and "submitted the required information to the NFL through the established process in accordance with league policy. All vaccination cards were reviewed by Buccaneers personnel and no irregularities were observed."

News surfaced on Thursday that Brown's former live-in chef, Steven Ruiz, accused Brown of obtaining the fake card and shared text message conversations he had with Brown's girlfriend—Cydney Moreau—with the Tampa Bay Times. 

In the messages, Moreau asked Ruiz if he could obtain the card. "JNJ shot. Ab said he would give you $500," the text read. However, Moreau denied knowing or having any communication with Ruiz, despite the Times confirming that the number used in the conversation belonged to her. 

On Friday, Ruiz told ESPN that Brown received a fake vaccination card from one of his teammates. However, Ruiz did not reveal the name of the Bucs' player.

"That player came over to the house multiple times," Ruiz told ESPN. "He had to get another copy of (Moreau's) vaccine card because they got her birthday wrong on the first one."

Ruiz stopped working for Brown and moved back to Los Angeles after a dispute over a $10,000 debt. He said that he cares more about the safety of others than the money.

"The money is what it is, I'm not gonna stress about $10,000," Ruiz told ESPN. "It's just more of a public safety issue that I wanted to bring to light and shed the lying and cheating that's going on behind the scenes at the Bucs."

The NFL states that if any player attempts to use a forged or fake COVID-19 vaccine card, it would be reviewed under the league's personal conduct policy. It also can be handled as a federal criminal offense.

Bridgett Patton, a public affairs specialist for the FBI Kansas City Division, told WFLA.com that Brown could face a fine and/or up to five years in prison.

When Eisen asked Arians if he has brought Brown in his office to see if he had a card, his response:

"No, but someone else did...when the guy gives me the card, I am good with it," Arians said. "I don't know how this story got going other than somebody wanted some money."

Earlier in the season, Brown received a positive COVID-19 test, forcing him to miss the Bucs' game against the Rams in Week 3. Following his test, per league protocol, he was subject to a full 10-day quarantine period. 

His status for the Bucs' game against Washington has yet to be determined due to an ankle injury he suffered in Week 6.

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