Update: Antonio Brown has been released by the Oakland Raiders, according to a new report by The Inquisitr .
Antonio Brown’s time in Oakland could be coming to a close, but not if agent Drew Rosenhaus has anything to say about it.
On Thursday, reports emerged that Brown got into a verbal altercation with Raiders general manager Mike Mayock. The team is expected to be suspending Brown, and The Inquisitr reported that NFL insiders believe the team may now try to void his contract and cut all ties with Brown, just months after landing him in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
As NFL.com now reports, Brown’s agent is trying to prevent that. Drew Rosenhaus said in an interview with NFL Network’s Stacey Dales that he doesn’t know anything more than the brief statements from Mayock that Brown needed to stay home. The team had not yet told them anything about a potential suspension, Rosenhaus added.
The NFL super-agent said he is working closely with the team to keep Brown on the field.
“My hope is there won’t be a suspension. I’m not aware of any as of yet,” Rosenhaus said. “That’s their decision. I’m working with them to try and avoid that scenario.”
The Oakland Raiders have not yet said what they plan to do with Brown, but Adam Schefter of ESPN reported on Twitter that the team may now be trying to void the $30.125 million of guaranteed money in Brown’s contract.
As the NFL.com report noted, the trouble started when Brown took to Instagram to post a letter from Mayock detailing $53,950 in fines after Brown failed to show up to a walk-through on August 22 and missed a preseason training camp date on August 18. Brown seemed to take a shot at the team in his post, which apparently didn’t go over very well with Mayock.
Antonio Brown’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus: ‘I don’t think it’s too late to salvage that relationship’ with Raiders https://t.co/1ItbJjYZvO pic.twitter.com/NP6o8x63r3
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) September 5, 2019
Reports indicated that Brown had to be held back during his confrontation with Mayock. This comes after a string of issues for Brown, including a long absence from training camp when he was upset over no longer being able to use his preferred helmet. Brown also suffered a bizarre foot injury when he failed to wear proper protection in a cryogenic therapy chamber, leaving him with painful blistering.
Rosenhaus stressed that Antonio Brown still wants to be on the Oakland Raiders, and is confident it will happen.
“I think moving forward everything can work out. We’ve had some bumps in the road, but he’s had an incredible career,” Rosenhaus said. “We had some setbacks recently but I’m confident we can get back to doing the great things that the Raiders signed him to do. That’s my intention. That’s my job.”
