HEADLINES

Antonio Brown

Latest On Antonio Brown, Raiders

September 6th, 2019 at 9:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Raiders’ one-man content machine continues to produce headlines, with the latest Antonio Brown news coming from a Brown social media post (video link). Brown may or may not have recorded Jon Gruden without his permission, sharing an edited video that appears to reveal a conversation between the wide receiver and his head coach.

In the video, a person sounding quite a bit like Gruden is heard saying, “Please stop this s*** and play football.” The video also shows Gruden calling Brown the “most misunderstood f***** human being in my entire life that I’ve ever met.”

Instead of being put off by this, Gruden — per ESPN.com’s Chris Mortensen (on Twitter) — was “amused” by this video and thought it was “awesome.” So there’s that. California’s two-party consent law makes it illegal to record conversations without both parties’ consent.

It is not certain when this conversation took place, and Brown’s video does not reveal the entire conversation. If it occurred after Brown’s confrontation with Mike Mayock — for which the Raiders have fined him but not suspended him — that would be quite the development. Gruden has backed Brown at every turn, despite the latter’s rampant unavailability and tumultuous Oakland tenure thus far. The Raiders made the decision not to suspend Brown earlier today.

Brown remains on track to suit up for the Raiders’ Week 1 game against the Broncos on Monday night in Oakland.

Raiders Fine Antonio Brown For Incident With Mike Mayock

September 6th, 2019 at 8:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

While the Raiders made the interesting decision to green-light Antonio Brown for Week 1, they did follow through on fining him for the incident many wondered would lead to his Oakland exit.

The Raiders fined Brown “an unspecified amount” for his Wednesday incident with Mike Mayock, Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets. Brown’s confrontation with Mayock included the receiver allegedly threatening to punch the first-year GM, calling him a “cracker” and punting a football across a practice field.

Although Brown also allegedly uttered the phrase “fine me for that” after punting the ball, Werder adds the mercurial wideout is “not happy” he’s been fined. The reasoning for this fine was described to Werder as “unprofessional behavior.”

Despite surprisingly dodging a suspension for this, Brown does not appear to be out of the woods. The Raiders are operating under the premise they can still void Brown’s $30MM-plus in guarantees, with Ian Rapoport of NFL.com noting (video link) high-ranking NFL officials believe the Raiders will have a case to go after Brown’s guarantees because of his practice absences and unknown whereabouts at various points since joining the team. We heard Thursday night a suspension would not need to occur for the Raiders to void Brown’s guarantees, so this remains a fluid situation.

Brown issued an apology to his team on Friday, but given the unrelenting drama that’s followed him since the incident prior to Week 17 of last season, it is hard to imagine things go smoothly between Brown and the Raiders from here. A Raiders official also informed ESPN.com’s Dianna Russini the team is basically “day to day” with Brown at this point (Twitter link). Nevertheless, the 31-year-old superstar is expected to be on the field for the Raiders’ season opener against the Broncos.

Raiders’ Antonio Brown To Play Vs. Broncos

September 6th, 2019 at 1:13pm CST by Zachary Links

What a week. What an offseason. 

Antonio Brown will play on Monday night against the Broncos, Raiders head coach Jon Gruden announced. Brown made a mea culpa to Raiders staffers and teammates on Friday morning, and that apparently put him back in the team’s good graces.

It’s a stunning turn of events, particularly after Brown’s latest incident. For those of you who haven’t been tuned in to the NFL’s most fascinating story of the offseason:

  • Brown threatened to retire, and skipped practices, when the NFL refused to let him wear his helmet of choice.
  • Brown was handed a letter, outlining fines for those missed practices when he returned to the club in late August. He expressed his dissatisfaction by posting a picture of the letter to social media and indicated that he would not pay the fine.
  • Sometime after, Brown nearly came to blows with GM Mike Mayock. He punted a football, threatened to punch him, and called him a “cracker.”

At least, that’s the Reader’s Digest version. There’s also the strange saga of Brown’s final two years in Pittsburgh, the trade that brought him to the Raiders, and the cryotherapy session gone awry that left him with a foot malady.

In light of all of that, the strangest twist of all is this: Brown will suit up and play in the Raiders’ season opener against the Broncos on Monday night.

Raiders’ Antonio Brown To Play On Monday?

September 6th, 2019 at 11:51am CST by Zachary Links

Things move fast in Oakland. On Thursday, Raiders coach Jon Gruden told people that Antonio Brown was not in the team’s plans for Monday. Now, there is a real chance he will not be suspended, allowing him to suit up for the season opener against the Broncos (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). 

On Friday, Brown issued “an emotional apology” at a team meeting, while standing alongside team captains (Twitter link via Josina Anderson of ESPN.com). Things have been extremely fluid between Brown and the team all offseason long, but this could be a real turning point. At this moment, it appears that Brown is on course to face Denver.

Days ago, Brown got into a heated argument with GM Mike Mayock that reportedly included Brown:

After the incident, the Raiders appeared set on suspending Brown and voiding his ~$30MM in guarantees. But, despite that exchange, and all of the wild drama of the summer, the two parties appear ready to bury the hatchet – for now.

Latest On Raiders, Antonio Brown

September 6th, 2019 at 11:40am CST by Zachary Links

Raiders wide receiver Antonio Brown and GM Mike Mayock got into it this week, and details of the argument are starting to emerge. At some point during the exchange, Brown cursed out Mayock and called him a “cracker,” according to ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson. 

It was previously reported that Brown also threatened to punch Mayock in the face and punted a football during the exchange. After sending the ball into the sky, Brown told the GM, “Fine me for that!” Mayock, it seems, is ready to take things a step further by suspending the mercurial star, which would put his ~$30MM guarantee in jeopardy.

Brown’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, admits that Brown’s relationship with Mayock is not a great place. Meanwhile, he insists that Brown is on good terms with head coach Jon Gruden.

“Right now I think (Antonio Brown’s) relationship with Coach Gruden is good, very good. I’m not going to get into his relationship with Mike Mayock, but I will say that we’re hopeful that that will be a good one, as well. It has been in the past,” Rosenhaus said in an interview on ESPN.

The Raiders are reportedly set to suspend Brown, but nothing has officially happened on that front.

AB Notes: Gruden, Guarantees, Personal Conduct Policy

September 5th, 2019 at 8:08pm CST by Ben Levine

Following a chaotic day in Oakland, head coach Jon Gruden finally had a chance to address the Antonio Brown fiasco.

“Like I said, I’m not going to get into all of this,” Gruden said (via ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez). “Obviously, he wasn’t here today and when we have some information for you, we’ll give it to you. …I’ve been talking about the same guy every day.

“…I’m emotional about it, I hope you understand why. I think a lot of this guy. I think Antonio is a great receiver, and deep down I think he’s a really good guy. So, I’m frustrated, I’m not going to say anything more about it, hope it all works out. But I don’t have anything official to say about anything else, until I get all the facts and that’s what I’m going to do.”

At the very least, Gruden will have to prepare for Monday night’s season opener without the star receiver. We learned earlier this evening that the team was proceeding as if Brown won’t be available for Week 1.

Let’s check out some more notes out of Oakland…

  • We learned earlier that the Raiders could suspend Brown with the intention of voiding his more than $30MM in guarantees. Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com reviewed the receiver’s contract, and he notes that Brown’s behavior (and subsequent fines) already put him in default. Since he left training camp and later missed a walkthrough, the organization would already have the right to void the guarantees. In other words, if the team is done with Brown, a suspension wouldn’t have to precede his inevitable release.
  • If it’s true that Brown threatened to hit general manager Mike Mayock, then the receiver could also face discipline under the NFL Personal Conduct Policy (per Florio). It sounds like Brown couldn’t be suspended for the same violation by both the organization and the NFL, although Florio notes that the Raiders could justify some other reason for banning the wideout.
  • Agent Drew Rosenhaus talked to Stacey Dales on NFL Network, and colleague James Palmer snagged a couple of the soundbites (via Twitter). “I believe he wants to be an Oakland Raider,” Rosenhaus said. “I believe he wants to play. I believe he’s going to have a great season.” The agent also said he’s having ongoing negotiations with the team, but there’s no real timeline for a resolution.
  • Florio also got quotes from Rosenhaus (via PFT’s Michael David Smith): “I think there’s been a lot of speculation. The reality is that we’re still talking through many scenarios. There has yet to be a suspension. Nothing is final yet. I’ve been in touch with Coach Gruden, Mike Mayock. We’re doing our best to work this out. Trying to keep this relationship moving in a good direction again.”

Raiders Planning For No Antonio Brown For Week 1

September 5th, 2019 at 6:21pm CST by Ben Levine

It’s uncertain if or how long Antonio Brown will be suspended by the Raiders, but it sounds like he at least won’t be in uniform on Monday night. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the Raiders are “not planning to have” their star receiver for Week 1. While it’s uncertain whether Brown will be suspended or merely listed as inactive, he likely won’t be in attendance for the team’s home opener vs. the Broncos.

Rapoport also passed along a quote from colleague Stacey Dales, who said the team is hoping to works things out. During an appearance on NFL Network, agent Drew Rosenhaus echoed that sentiment, stating that the “goal is to salvage this relationship.”

“There is two sides to every story,” Rosenhaus said (via Rapoport on Twitter). “My job is to bring everything back, try and get things worked out. That’s what I’m working on right now.

“I’m confident we can get back to doing all the right things that the Raiders signed him for. My hope is there isn’t a suspension and I’m not aware of any as of yet. I’m working with them to try to and avoid this scenario.”

We learned earlier today that the Raiders are reportedly planning to suspend the wideout after he got into a heated confrontation with general manager Mike Mayock. If Brown is suspended, the Raiders might be able to recoup part, if not all, of Brown’s $30MM signing bonus.

Rapoport provided some more context on the Raiders’ options, noting that Brown’s contract is relatively standard (Twitter link). Therefore, he has a failure-to-practice clause that the organization could use to recoup the guaranteed money. That move could ultimately lead to Brown’s release.

Raiders’ Mike Mayock On Antonio Brown

September 5th, 2019 at 2:06pm CST by Zachary Links

On Thursday afternoon, Raiders GM Mike Mayock updated reporters on the ongoing Antonio Brown saga…sort of. 

“Short and sweet, Antonio Brown is not in the building today,” Mayock said (video link). “He won’t be practicing. I don’t have any more information for you right now. When I have some and it becomes appropriate, you guys will all get it but that’s it for today.”

In case you missed it – the Raiders are reportedly planning to suspend the wide receiver after he got into a heated confrontation with Mayock. If Brown is suspended, the Raiders might be able to recoup part, or all, of Brown’s $30MM signing bonus. If that happens, Brown’s Raiders stint will likely end without him having ever played a down in silver and black.

Brown and Mayock did not come to blows, though Brown did have to be held back by Vontaze Burfict (of all people). In the course of the conversation, Brown reportedly punted a football and told Mayock, “Fine me for that.” Right now, it sounds like Mayock will take him up on the offer.

Meanwhile, Brown’s dissatisfaction has, once again, spilled over to social media. In recent hours, Brown unfollowed both the Raiders and quarterback Derek Carr on Instagram (h/t Runnyasa).

Raiders To Suspend Antonio Brown

September 5th, 2019 at 11:50am CST by Zachary Links

There’s never a dull moment when it comes to the Raiders and Antonio Brown. The wide receiver and GM Mike Mayock got into an argument on Wednesday, and the team is now planning to suspend Brown, league sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). 

Here’s where things stand at the moment:

  • The Raiders have yet to formally suspend Brown for Week 1 (Twitter link via CBS’ Jason La Canfora).
  • The incident between Brown and Mayock did not get physical (via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). However, there was a screaming match, and Brown told Mayock that he would hit him in the face. Then, Brown punted a football and said, “Fine me for that.”
  • A fun side note: Vontaze Burfict, who has had incidents of his own and has a history with Brown, held Brown back from escalating things with Mayock (via The Athletic’s Vic Tafur).
  • Some around the league believe the Raiders could suspend Brown with the idea of trying to void his $30.125MM in guaranteed money (Twitter link via Schefter). Of course, Brown would not take this lightly, and this would result in a serious showdown involving the Raiders, the NFLPA, the NFL, and Brown.
  • As noted by former NFL GM Mike Tannenbaum (Twitter link) – If Brown is on the active roster on opening day, his $14.625MM salary for 2019 will become guaranteed, because he meets the service time requirement for veteran status. It’s not immediately clear whether today (Thursday) is “opening day” for these purposes, or if that corresponds with the Raiders’ Week 1 opener.

For those of you who haven’t been following this summer’s craziest NFL storyline, here’s a quick recap. Brown, who was acquired via trade from the Steelers and given a lucrative new contract, missed time due to a combination of a cryotherapy session gone awry and a battle with the NFL for his right to wear his favorite helmet.

This week, the Raiders sent Brown a letter informing him that he would be fined for missing a practice and a walkthrough last month. Brown, in turn, posted a picture of that letter to social media to inform the Raiders (and the world at-large) that he would not be paying said fines.

Along the way, Mayock indicated that Brown would have to decide whether or not he was “all in” with the team. At this moment, it’s unclear as to whether Brown is “all in” with Mayock & Co. – and vice versa.

Antonio Brown Loses Second Grievance

August 25th, 2019 at 12:03pm CST by Rory Parks

Raiders wide receiver Antonio Brown has lost his second helmet-related grievance, per Pro Football Talk (via Twitter). AB will wear a league-approved helmet in 2019 and beyond (Twitter link).

This was the expected outcome, and the ruling should resolve this issue once and for all. Brown has been practicing and seems to be past the foot malady he suffered during a cryotherapy mishap, so Raiders fans just have to cross their fingers and hope that Brown has put his off-field matters behind him.

Indeed, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says that no further proceedings are expected (Twitter link). Pro Football Talk tweets that Brown is close to selecting a new helmet, and that it will be a custom-made model. Brown is also going to get an endorsement deal from the maker, so, once again, AB lands jelly-side up.

The 31-year-old wideout has not played this preseason, though he is expected to be ready to go for Week 1. The Raiders are not favored to make the playoffs this year, but this year’s “Hard Knocks” outfit should at least be interesting to watch.

The club opens the season at home against the Broncos on September 9.

Load More Posts