Antonio Brown was accused of using a racial slur against the Oakland Raiders’ general manager Mike Mayock, then apologizing for it. Now, he’s been cut from the team before the first game of the season and picked up by the New England Patriots.
According to ESPN, the wide receiver cursed the general manager out and called him a “cracker” on Wednesday during practice. Other reports state that Mayock fined Brown about $54,000 for missing team workouts, which sparked the confrontation.
A team letter about the fine was recently published as well, and Brown posted it to his Instagram account, but it’s been removed.
It’s not clear what Brown said when he made amends, but he reportedly gave “an emotional apology” during a Friday morning team meeting with team captains standing by his side. It’s been said the team treated Brown “like a family member” after he apologized.
Initially, there was talk that Brown may be suspended for the argument, but the Raider’s coach Jon Gruden said the plan was to play him on Monday in the season opener against the Denver Broncos.
“I’ll just say Antonio is back,” Gruden told reporters. “Ready to move on. He’s had a lot of obviously time to think about things. We’re happy to have him back.”
Brown also spoke after news of the confrontation surfaced.
“I’m excited to be out here today. I want to apologize to my teammates, the organization,” he said behind a podium. “Enough talk, man. I’m excited to be out here with my teammates, grateful for all the fans, and I’m excited to be part of the Raiders, and see you guys soon.”
Later, the Miami native told ESPN that he never used the racial slur against Gruden, and it’s something he would never say.
“Everything has been blown out of proportion,” stated Brown.
He also denied a scuffle broke out during the argument as some have reported.
Then as things seemed to be remedied between Brown and the Raiders, Brown released a video on Friday where you can hear him talking to Gruden on the telephone.
“What the hell is going on, man?” said Gruden. “Let me ask you this: Do you want to be a Raider or not?”
“Man, I’ve been trying to be a Raider since day one,” Brown answered. “I’ve been f–king working my ass off harder than anyone. I don’t know why it’s a question of me being a Raider. It’s like, do you guys want me to be a Raider?”
“Please stop this sh– and just play football,” Gruden told him.
Brown also explained why he recorded the phone call in the first place.
“With all these false narratives antagonizing me, it’s time for me to control my own narrative. Show the world I’m not the bad guy,” he wrote on Instagram.
“Show the world you can free yourself from the lies and become your own person. I am not just AB the football player, I am Antonio Brown the person, who paved a way for himself to be in charge of his own life,” added Brown.
He then posted another message later on Saturday and asked to be released from the team.
“You are gonna piss a lot of people off when you start doing what’s best for you,” wrote Brown in the post. He captioned it as well.
“I have worked my whole life to prove that the system is blind to see talent like mines,” the wide receiver stated. “Now that everyone sees it, they want me to conform to that same system that has failed me all those years. I’m not mad at anyone. I’m just asking for the freedom to prove them all wrong. Release me.”
And that’s just what the Raiders did because Brown was gone soon afterwards. He was then signed by the New England Patriots later that day and let people know by posting a photo of himself in a Patriots jersey.
“LFG @tstuckeymbrady #GodsPlan #RewriteStory,” wrote Brown next to the photo.
Brown was supposed to make up to $50 million with the Raiders over the next three years. Reportedly, the Patriots singed him for $9 million and he could make up to $15 million going forward.
