Raiders Cut Antonio Brown, Receiver Loses $30M

Antonio Brown is no longer an Oakland Raider. Just before noon today, the Raiders announced that they had released the wide receiver. This follows a convoluted saga involving Brown taking to social media and demanding to be released from his contract. As ESPN’s report on the situation notes, a recent fine from the team may have violated his contract with them, giving him grounds to seek a way out.

The Raiders fined Brown $215,073.53 for conduct detrimental to the team, league sources told Schefter on Saturday.

By fining Brown, the Raiders voided the $29.125 million worth of guaranteed money in his deal, sources told Schefter.

Late Friday night, Brown posted a video on YouTube featuring audio from a call from Raiders coach Jon Gruden.

It suggests a player deeply frustrated with his current situation. If the video suggests that, Brown’s description of the video removes any sense of ambiguity about what’s going on.

With all these false narratives antagonizing me, it’s time for me to control my own narrative. Show the world I’m not the bad guy. Show the world you can free yourself from the lies and become your own person. I am not just AB the football player, I am Antonio Brown, the person, who paved a way for himself to be in charge of his own life. Free me!

Earlier this morning, Brown used another social media platform — Instagram, in this case — to ask the Raiders to release him.

View this post on Instagram

And that’s fine ! I have worked my whole life to prove that the system is blind to see talent like mines.Now that everyone sees it, they want me to conform to that same system that has failed me all those years. “I’m not mad at anyone. I’m just asking for the freedom to prove them all wrong.” Release me @raiders #NOMore #theyputblindersonahorseforareason #NoMoreFake

A post shared by Boomin (@ab) on Sep 7, 2019 at 6:02am PDT

ESPN has more analysis of the video, along with an exploration of the frustrations Brown has experienced with Oakland to date — most recently, an argument with Raiders general manager Mike Mayock.

Where will Brown end up now that he’s able to sign with another team? That remains to be seen.

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