Troubled wide receiver Antonio Brown’s tenure with the New England Patriots lasted just 11 days after he was signed to a one-year deal worth $15 million. The Patriots cut Brown without paying the $9 million guaranteed money in his contract and his Week 1 salary due to alleged sexual assault and misconduct. Brown recently filed a grievance against the Patriots and the Oakland Raiders to recover around $40 million, which he claims the two teams owe him. Brown wants the Patriots to pay his Week 1 salary amounting to $64,062, his guaranteed base salary of $1.025 million and his $9 million signing bonus.
Brown, who was signed by Oakland after he was released by the Pittsburgh Steelers, also wanted the Raiders to pay a huge sum of money after he was cut before the start of the regular season. In his grievance, Brown wants the Raiders to pay one week salary worth $860,294, $29 million in guaranteed money and his $1 million signing bonus. He’s also challenging the $215,000 fines imposed on him for violating several team rules.
Brown asks Patriots to re-sign him
However, it was earlier reported that Patriots CEO Robert Kraft has no plan of shelling out even a penny to pay Brown after the wide receiver slammed him on Twitter and mentioned his controversial arrest in a Miami spa this year. On Wednesday, the 31-year-old Brown sparked another controversy when he went live on Instagram and suggested that the Patriots allow him to earn the money due to him by re-signing him.
“You guys follow the Patriots tell them to call me. They still gotta pay me might as well let me earn it,” Brown said on his live video. Brown played just one game with the Patriots, catching four passes for 56 yards and a touchdown in their 43-0 win over the Miami Dolphins.
No chance Brown will return to Patriots
While the Patriots need an additional veteran wide receiver, there’s no chance that the organization will re-sign him, according to Jeff Howe of The Athletic.
“Based on everything I heard the day the Patriots released Antonio Brown, there’s absolutely no chance of a reunion,” Howe said on his Twitter account. According to Howe, the Patriots would require an organizational heel turn “unlike one I’ve ever seen before” to allow Brown to return. Brown’s signing left a $5 million dent in the Patriots’ salary cap room, affecting their ability to sign or trade for a veteran wide receiver before the Oct.
29 trade deadline. The Patriots recently cut veteran tight end Ben Watson to create an additional $2 million in salary cap space, allowing them to trade for a veteran wide receiver or sign one from the free agent market. Among the names being floated are Emmanuel Sanders of the Denver Broncos and A.J. Green of the Cincinnati Bengals. When asked about the team’s plans before the deadline, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said he’s focused on their Week 6 clash with the New York Giants on Thursday.
