Antonio Brown's fall from grace has been well documented, to the point that some may even forget how good the receiver was on the field.
Former NFL linebacker Bobby Carpenter hasn't, and while appearing on OutKick's “Hot Mic” show Monday, he made an interesting argument.
“Hall of Fame, yes or no?” Carpenter asked co-hosts Jonathan Hutton and Chad Withrow.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Bobby Carpenter #59 of the Detroit Lions reacts to a fourth stop during the game against the Chicago Bears at Ford Field on October 10, 2011, in Detroit. The Lions defeated the Bears 24-13. (León Halip/Getty Images)
Why does Carpenter ask the question? Brown's production is the reason.
“You can't deny the production. I know no one wants to see him come in because he's a character you can hate,” Carpenter said.
Brown's on- and off-field antics toward the end of his career, as well as after his career, don't check the stand-up box usually found on a Hall of Fame application.
FORMER NFL PLAYER ANTONIO BROWN SUPPORTS DONALD TRUMP, QUOTES FORGIVENESS FOR HIP-HOP FIGURES
However, Brown's production resume is as impressive as they come.
Brown is a seven-time Pro Bowler, four-time All-Pro, Super Bowl champion with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and a member of the Hall of Fame All-2010s team.
There was a stretch between 2013 and 2018 where you could argue that Brown was the best wide receiver in the NFL, as he never had fewer than 1,280 receiving yards and 100 receptions in all of those seasons.
In 2014, Brown led the NFL in receiving yards (1,698) and receptions (129), in which he would also lead the league with 136 receptions in 2015. Then in 2018, Brown had a league-high 15 receiving touchdowns to go along with his 1,297 yards.
Antonio Brown of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers warms up before the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on January 2, 2022, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Elsa/Getty Images)
Through nine seasons with the Steelers, Brown has 11,207 yards with 74 touchdowns and averaged 86.2 yards per game.
With 12,291 career receiving yards, Brown ranks 25th all-time in the NFL. That's more than Hall of Famers Michael Irvin, Don Maynard, Calvin Johnson, Shannon Sharpe and more.
“Your numbers, guys, are undeniable,” Carpenter said. “If you look at what he did: my qualifications for [the Hall of Fame] are: 'Were you one of the top players in the conversation for the better part of a decade?' So for six or seven years, were you a first- or second-team All-Pro? He is that. “He has it all.”
Carpenter even noted something “sad” as he believes his numbers would have been even better “if he had been able to keep it together for the last four or five years, but it just became a circus.”
The last time Brown was on an NFL field was when he took off his pads while playing for the Bucs against the New York Jets, and ran off the field before halftime at MetLife Stadium, throwing a peace sign at the process while running towards the locker room.
October 14, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown (81) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. (Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports)
Say what you want about Brown's character, but his numbers speak for themselves.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
But while Carpenter makes a good point, it's unlikely the Pro Football Hall of Fame will welcome Brown to its ranks anytime soon.
Follow Fox News Digital sports coverage in X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
