Raiders Star Antonio Brown Facing Suspension for Heated Incident with Team GM: Report
Oakland Raiders wide receiver Antonio Brown is facing a suspension following a heated incident with general manager Mike Mayock, according to multiple reports.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter was the first to break the news, citing league sources.
“The Next Chapter: Antonio Brown and GM Mike Mayock got into it Wednesday, and the team is now planning to suspend its star wide receiver, league sources tell ESPN,” Schefter tweeted Thursday.
The Next Chapter: Antonio Brown and GM Mike Mayock got into it Wednesday, and the team is now planning to suspend its star wide receiver, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 5, 2019
He went on to report that the incident stemmed from a fine letter Brown had received from Mayock.
“In the letter, Mayock informed Brown that he was being fined $13,950 for missing a walk-through on Aug. 22, an unexcused absence. The letter also mentions that the team previously had fined Brown $40,000 for missing camp on Aug. 18,” ESPN noted.
Brown was not happy and posted a picture of the letter to Instagram, writing, “When your own team want to hate but there’s no stopping me now devil is a lie. Everyone got to pay this year so we clear.”
Antonio Brown posts his displeasure with fines from #Raiders pic.twitter.com/0OMhdwFu7K
— Vic Tafur (@VicTafur) September 4, 2019
This, in turn, appears to have angered Mayock:
Antonio Brown posted the fine letter on social media that Raiders’ GM Mike Mayock sent him. It led to an exchange, which is now leading to further discipline. This is not going away anytime soon.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 5, 2019
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport provided more insight into what went down during the exchange between Brown and Mayock.
The exchange never devolved into an all-out fight, he said, but it got close.
“But after a screaming match, Brown told Mayock that he would hit him in the face and then punted the ball … and said, Fine me for that,” Rapoport tweeted.
More on #Raiders WR Antonio Brown and Mike Mayock yesterday: It did not get physical, sources say. But after a screaming match, Brown told Mayock that he would hit him in the face and then punted the ball… and said, Fine me for that. ???
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 5, 2019
If Brown is suspended, there could be far-reaching implications for both him and the team.
“According to the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement, a player can be suspended a maximum of four weeks for conduct detrimental to the team,” ESPN reported.
If Brown is suspended for Week 1, the Raiders might be off the hook for the roughly $30 million guaranteed in his contract.
The significance of a suspension is that it would void (assuming normal contract language) his $29,125,000 in contract guarantees. However, if he’s on the Active Roster on opening day his $14,625,000 ’19 salary becomes guaranteed because he’s a Veteran. They could suspend him https://t.co/I1w7QTgFoq
— Mike Tannenbaum (@RealTannenbaum) September 5, 2019
If the Raiders try to void the guaranteed portion of his contract, Brown’s time in Oakland would be over, according to Schefter.
There are those around the league who now believe the Raiders could suspend Antonio Brown with the idea of trying to void the $30.125 million of guaranteed money in his contract.
Which obviously would end his time in Oakland.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 5, 2019
The 31-year-old receiver was traded to Oakland in the offseason following a nine-year stint in Pittsburgh.
Last year with the Steelers, he caught 104 passes for 1,297 yards and 15 touchdowns.
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