On September 4, the NFL community was relieved to see the news that Oakland Raiders wide receiver Antonio Brown had ended his helmet drama by signing an endorsement deal with Xenith. The veteran had missed the majority of Raiders training camp and all of the team’s preseason games while filing two separate grievances against the NFL in an effort to wear his beloved Schutt Air Advantage. These attempts ultimately failed as Brown accrued roughly $54,000 in fines due to his unexcused absences, but the endorsement deal with Xenith put the helmet issues to rest.
Now, however, the situation has changed after little more than a week. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Friday that Xenith ended its relationship with Brown. This news broke shortly after Brown was released by the Raiders and quickly signed by the Patriots.
Videos by PopCulture.com
“We look forward to seeing the Xenith Shadow worn by football athletes at all levels of play this fall,” the company said in a statement according to Schefter.
No specific reason was provided about the cause of this relationship ending, but many could suspect that Brown’s ongoing legal problems could be the culprit. On September 10, it was revealed as part of a civil lawsuit against Brown that he being accused of sexual assault allegations by former trainer Britney Taylor.
The allegations claim that there were reportedly three separate incidents that occurred between 2017-18, but Brown’s attorney has denied the allegations.
Brown is not facing criminal charges and police say the claims won’t be investigated. It is also important to note that this is a civil lawsuit, leaving only a league investigation that should start soon. The NFL has intentions of interviewing Brown, as well as Taylor, to come to a conclusion about this case. If there is a reason to believe that the Patriots wide receiver did violate the league’s personal conduct policy, Commissioner Roger Goodell can place him on the commissioner exempt list.
Thus far, no determination has been made as Brown is preparing to take part in the Patriots’ upcoming game on Sunday. He traveled with the team to Miami and is in line to start. Although a decision by Goodell could certainly change these plans.
Legal issues aside, there is now the question “which helmet will Brown wear?” He signed the endorsement deal with Xenith after testing various helmets and determining that the Shadow would be the best option for the future. Will Brown still don this model even after losing his lucrative endorsement deal, or will he search for another helmet that won’t limit his vision or ability to make big plays?
