Antonio Brown is looking to get back in the NFL despite a pending sexual assault lawsuit filed against him last month. But in the meantime, he is looking to get some money from the last two teams who have cut him. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, Brown has officially filed his grievances against the Oakland Raiders and the New England Patriots. He is looking to get around $40 million from both teams which include unpaid salaries, fines and guarantee money.
“Brown’s grievance includes a challenge of the Raiders’ discipline, which resulted in roughly $215,000 in fines. He’s also seeking a week of salary from when he requested to be released from Oakland — $860,294. He’s looking for payment of the guarantees for 2019 and 2020 — $29 million-plus his signing bonus of $1 million, which was divided into two workout bonuses,” Rapoport wrote.
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“From the Patriots, Brown filed to receive his unpaid Week 1 salary of $64,062 and the rest of the $1.025 million total that was his guaranteed base salary. He’s seeking the $9 million signing bonus that was never paid, too, sources say. Brown also filed for breach of contract.”
So when will Brown know the decision? Rapoport said the system arbitrator will hear the appeal in the spring and it’s very unlikely he will get $40 million. However, he could get some of the money back from the Patriots as it was previously reported the team will pay him the $9 signing bonus owed to him. Brown was cut by the Patriots before the team’s third game of the season due to his sexual assault and misconduct allegations. It was first reported New England was not going to pay him the signing bonus money, but it looks like they may not have a choice.
“[New England] fighting to keep that signing bonus now is either a gross misunderstanding of [the CBA’s] rules on voiding signing bonuses or it’s just out of spite,” a source told Yahoo Sports. “I can’t believe they don’t understand the signing bonus voids in the CBA. There’s just no way. This is just spitefulness. They’re fighting [Brown] completely out of the anger and embarrassment in ownership.”
Brown posted four catches for 56 yards and one touchdown in the one game he played as a member of the Patriots. He signed with the team a few days after he was cut by the Raiders in early September. Brown was traded to Oakland from the Pittsburgh Steelers and he was cut by the team because of his numerous antics including not showing up for practice and getting into a verbal fight with general manager Mike Mayock.
