Report: Raiders To Suspend Antonio Brown After Confrontation With GM Mike Mayock
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- The Oakland Raiders will suspend Antonio Brown after a heated confrontation between the star wide receiver and the team general manager, according to a published report.
ESPN reporter Adam Schefter said Brown and Raiders General Manager Mike Mayock "got into it" on Wednesday and that the team is planning a suspension, citing league sources.
Brown was not at Raiders practice on Thursday.
"I'll make it short and sweet," Mayock said. "Antonio Brown is not in the building today, won't be practicing. I don't have any more information for you right now. When I have some and it becomes appropriate you guys will all get it. But that's it for today."
Head Coach John Gruden refused to answer any questions from reporters about the Brown situation.
"He wasn't here today," he said. "We have been practicing without him, we've been preparing to play no matter ...We had to adapt and unfortunately, we had to adapt today, but we are really excited about our receivers corp."
"We're still getting to the bottom of everything... I'm out here on the field coaching the guys who are here."
Brown on Wednesday posted a letter from Mayock on his Instagram story page in which the team informed Brown that he was being fined $13,950 for missing a walk-through on Aug. 22nd and $40,000 for missing Raiders preseason training camp on Aug. 18.
In response, Brown wrote: "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."
Brown had 686 catches and 9,145 yards receiving the past six seasons in Pittsburgh, the best marks ever for a receiver in a six-year span. But he still wore out his welcome with the Steelers after leaving the team before a crucial Week 17 game last season, and Oakland was able to acquire him in March for the small price of third- and fifth-round draft picks.
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The drama that surrounded Brown in Pittsburgh didn't stop upon his arrival in Oakland even though he was given a hefty raise with a three-year contract worth $50.125 million.
The gifted wide receiver was in the headlines for much of the preseason and it had little to do with his play on the field. First, he suffered severely frostbitten feet while undergoing cryotherapy treatment in France, forcing him to start training camp on the non-football injury list.
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He was activated on July 28, but immediately became embroiled in a dispute with the NFL and the NFLPA over his helmet. The NFL and NFLPA won't allow him to use the same Schutt Air Advantage that he has used throughout his career, it doesn't not meet the new safety requirements.
Twice he filed a grievance and twice he lost.
At one point, Mayock issued an "all in or all out" ultimatum.
"You all know that A.B. is not here today," Mayock said in a video on the team Twitter page. "So here's the bottom line. He's upset about the helmet issue. We have supported that. We appreciate that," Mayock said. "But at this point, we've pretty much exhausted all avenues of relief. So from our perspective, it's time for him to be all in or all out. So we're hoping he's back soon. We've got 89 guys busting their tails. We are really excited about where this franchise is going and we hope A.B. is going to be a big part of it starting Week 1 against Denver. End of story. No questions."
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