Nobody questions Antonio Brown’s intangibles, he’s arguably the most physically gifted wide receiver the NFL has seen this century, but everyone seems to be questioning everything else about him this summer. Realistically, it’s not unreasonable to question the strange AB saga that’s seen frostbitten feet, skipped practices, recording phone calls, and ultimately ended with a release request. It’s something scriptwriters couldn’t make up, and HBO is probably punching air since the thick of it happened the week after the last episode of “Hard Knocks” aired. Still, Antonio brown should have seen some of this coming.
In the NFL, players get fined by their teams all the time, its in their contracts, not unlike the one AB signed not too long ago. Antonio Brown signed an addendum to his 3-year contract agreeing to the potential of voiding his guaranteed on March 14th. The full addendum can be seen thanks to an Albert Breer tweet.
Players face team issued fines and suspensions all the time. In fact, AB isn’t unfamiliar with team fines and punishments. AB was fined $10,000 in 2017 for recording a Facebook live in the locker room after a win, and was benched in Week 17 of last year, a must win game, because of an altercation with Ben Roethlisberger and AB’s refusal to practice. Its likely why the Raiders wrote the Addendum, and after that it’s on AB to know what he’s signing.
Not to mention, it can be assumed AB illegally recorded this phone conversation with Jon Gruden. California has a two-party consent law in regards to recording telephone conversations. In these situations, ALL parties need to consent to the recording before it begins, not just one. It’s hard to believe Jon Gruden would consent to that conversation, but honestly, if any coach is to consent to a conversation like that, it’s him. It’s a bit of a digression, but still, adds to the cavalcade of bizarre things the Raiders have had to deal with since March.
Given the circumstances, the new chapter in the AB drama shouldn’t come as a huge surprise, especially given the helmet situation, which we’ve already touched upon. Most of the AB drama this summer could be considered “conduct detrimental to the team,” at least from an onlooker’s perspective, as the team didn’t find him to be as much of a distraction as the media has made him out to be… probably because he never showed up.
The Antonio Brown saga has been bizarre to say the least, a once promising trade turned into literally no money for the superstar, and a headache for the black and silver. What’s next for the NFL’s most talented and misunderstood wide out? Its onto New England, maybe they can keep him in check.
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