Tampa Bay Buccaneers release Antonio Brown

Four days after wide receiver Antonio Brown threw off his helmet and dashed off the field in the middle of a game against the New York Jets, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have terminated his contract, effective immediately, the team announced Thursday.

“While Antonio did receive treatment on his ankle and was listed on the injury report the week leading up to last Sunday’s game, he was cleared to play by our medical team prior to the start of the game and at no point during the game did he indicate to our medical personnel that he could not play.

“We have attempted, multiple times throughout this week, to schedule an evaluation by an outside orthopedic specialist, yet Antonio has not complied. Maintaining the health and wellness of our players is of the utmost importance to our organization.”

Brown and his attorney Sean Burstyn said Wednesday that he told the Buccaneers he was too hurt to continue playing on an injured ankle, while coach Bruce Arians refuted having any knowledge to the nature of his outburst, nor did he say Brown communicated to him or to the training staff that his ankle was bothering him.

A Bucs team official, however, told ESPN that Brown was agitated at halftime of Sunday’s game against the New York Jets about not getting the targets he was expecting and he had to be calmed down.

Brown’s attorney said the receiver’s ankle injury, and not targets, were the source of Brown’s frustration.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Brown said he was forced to play on an injured ankle that will require surgery, which is why he exited Sunday’s game so abruptly in the third quarter.

Upset on the sideline, Brown, who had been on the field for 26 plays, took off his jersey, pads and undershirt, and he threw his shirt…