Antonio Brown Loses Nike Deal, Social Media Explodes

Antonio Brown just lost one of his biggest endorsements deals due to his latest sexual assault allegations. On Thursday, it was reported that Nike is dropping the New England Patriots star wide receiver. The Boston Globe was the first to report the news as it talked to a Nike spokesperson about the situation.

“Antonio Brown is not a Nike athlete,” a spokesperson told the Boston Globe on Wednesday night.

The spokesperson did not give a reason as to why they let Brown go, but based on everything that has happened to him this summer, Nike didn’t make a surprising move. The biggest situation Brown is dealing with his the sexual assault lawsuit filed by his former trainer, Britney Taylor. The NFL interviewed Taylor earlier this week and they plan to do the same with Brown. In the meantime, Brown is getting ready to play on Sunday when the Patriots take on the New York Jets.

Scroll down to find the top reactions of Nike dropping Brown.

Darren Rovell Recaps

Darren Rovell of the Action Network recaps Brown’s time at Nike. He said, “Last year, Antonio Brown boasted he had a ‘huge Nike deal.’ In February, the company came out with an Antonio Brown trainer. Today, a Nike spokesman says ‘Antonio Brown is not a Nike athlete.’”

Ovation

While Brown may not like being dropped by Nike, this fan seems to love it. As it’s shown above, the GIF of everyone giving a standing ovation indicates that the public loves the fact Brown is not part of the Nike family. The Pats receiver has his share of issues and Nike felt like it had to make a move. 

Lawyer Weighs In

Michael McCann, a lawyer and legal analyst for Sports Illustrated, shared his thoughts on Nike dropping Brown. He said, “Endorsement deals with major brands contain “morals clauses.” They make it very easy for a company to drop an athlete who attracts controversy that damages their brand or the company’s brand. Athlete doesn’t have to be ‘guilty.’ It’s all about the controversy.”

Patriots are Next?

Daniel wants the Patriots to do the same thing Nike did, which probably won’t happen right now. He said, “Nike dropped Antonio Brown. I continue not to understand why the Patriots refuse to do the same. I’ve stuck with the Pats through all of the Trump adjacency, but this could be the thing that finally drains my ability to enjoy this team. Bummer.”

Time to Produce

The Twitter account Boston Cream is all about Brown getting to work and producing numbers for the Patriots. It said, “Nike drops its endorsement of Antonio Brown. Brown will now have to rebuild his image, brand, and reputation in a Patriots jersey. Quickest way to do that? Be a team player and produce.”

Too Early

This fan wants Nike to wait until the legal situation is handled before dropping Brown. He said, “First Xenith and now Nike. These companies are bogus for dropping Antonio Brown before finding out if he’s guilty.”

Brown is not being criminally charged with sexual assault as it’s a civil lawsuit. But the reason Nike dropped him could be the other antics surrounding him during the offseason such as calling Raiders GM Mike Mayock a racial slur or being sued by multiple people for various reasons.

Next Move

This fan believes all this Brown negativity will cause the Patriots to respond. He said, “This begins ‘The Movement’ against Brown and one the Patriots and NFL can not afford to overlook. Next #MeToo needs to be at the gates of every Patriot game blocking people from attending.”

Colin Kaepernick?

Somehow this fan compared the Antonio Brown situation to Colin Kaepernick. He said, “Nike dropped Antonio Brown.. but they still pay Colin Kaepernick.”

I think protesting for social justice and sexual assault are not exactly the same thing. Also, the Nike commercial that featured Kaepernick won an Emmy. So I think Nike will keep Kaepernick on the payroll.