Antonio Brown says he's leaving the NFL, 2 days after being cut by the Patriots, because team owners can do 'whatever they want'
Former star wide receiver Antonio Brown said on Twitter Sunday that he was leaving the NFL.
Brown took aim at the league's owners and called for the NFL Players' Association to "hold them accountable" for canceling deals at their own discretion.
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NFL star wide receiver Antonio Brown on Sunday said on Twitter that he was leaving the NFL.
Brown took aim at the league's owners and called for the NFL Players' Association to "hold them accountable" for canceling deals at their own discretion.
"Will not be playing in the @NFL anymore these owners can cancel deals do whatever they want at anytime we will see if the @NFLPA hold them accountable sad they can just void guarantees anytime going on 40m 2 months will see if they pay up !" Brown wrote.
Brown's announcement comes after weeks of drama that saw him demand release from the Oakland Raiders before signing with, and being dropped from, the New England Patriots. Brown played just one game with the Patriots.
Brown was due $5 million of a $9 million signing bonus with the Patriots on Monday, according to reports. Brown was released before the payment was due.
After signing with the Patriots, Brown was accused of sexual assault in a lawsuit by a former trainer. He denied all accusations.
A Sports Illustrated report on Monday also uncovered an accusation of sexual misconduct against Brown, in which a painter alleged he approached her in his house wearing nothing but a cloth.
In a series of text messages uncovered by Sports Illustrated and sent to the NFL on Thursday, Brown and a group of friends appeared to intimidate and threaten the painter, who remained anonymous, for her account in the original SI report.
Brown, who led all wide receivers in touchdowns in 2018, demanded a trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers after the 2018 season. He was traded to the Oakland Raiders in March, but hardly ever saw the field. Brown was first kept off the field after he got frostbite on his feet from a cryotherapy chamber.
Later, Brown refused to take the field over a dispute about his helmet. His helmet was no longer certified by the NFL, but Brown filed two grievances against the league to wear his helmet. He lost both grievances and eventually found a new helmet to wear.
Brown's falling-out with the Raiders was swift, as he later got into a verbal altercation with GM Mike Mayock, appeared to secretly record head coach Jon Gruden in a phone call, then demanded the team release him.
Brown's agent Drew Rosenhaus told ESPN's Adam Schefter that there were teams interested in signing Brown, who is now an unrestricted free agent. However, according to Schefter, until the NFL's investigation into the sexual assault allegation against Brown, teams will not sign him.