How Antonio Brown Paid Tribute to Kobe Bryant

Amid the ongoing drama in Antonio Brown‘s life, he found time to honor Kobe Bryant following the NBA legend’s death last month. Brown, 31, took to Instagram last Sunday, the day that Bryant and eight others died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, to share a tribute. He shared a photo of a piece of artwork depicting Bryant’s image in his Los Angeles Lakers jersey, captioning the image with a sobbing emoji.

The simple tribute came amid a flurry of social media posts from the former New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers player, who has been adamant that he will return to the NFL despite an ongoing sexual assault case against him as well as a few run-ins with police in recent weeks.

Last month, Brown was arrested for alleged burglary and battery after an altercation outside his Hollywood, Florida, home with a moving truck driver who claimed Brown damaged his truck.

Following his arrest and subsequent release, Brown apologized to the law enforcement officers involved via an emotional post on Instagram. Captioning an image of Hollywood Police Department officers, he wrote that his emotions clouded his judgment during the altercations.

“To everyone who I may have offended or Disrespected at the [Hollywood, Florida PD] Of the state of Florida, I would like to sincerely give you all my apology from the top and bottom of my heart,” Brown wrote in the caption of the photo. “And as a human being and an professional athlete I can honestly say that my emotions truly did cloud my better Judgment, When you all were only there to help me.

“Thanks to you all who sincerely accept my Sincere apology. And we must all know that God is a Forgiving God. P.S The ‘PAL’ Youth League, I’m looking to working with you all again in the near future,” he wrote.

Brown was just one of the celebrities to pay tribute to Bryant, who died alongside 13-year-old daughter Gianna Bryant and seven other victims in a helicopter crash nearly two weeks ago. Along with Kobe and Gianna, the other victims include: Gianna’s travel basketball teammates Alyssa Altobelli and Payton Chester; Alyssa’s parents John Altobelli and Keri Altobelli; Payton’s mother Sarah Chester; the team’s assistant basketball coach Christina Mauser, and helicopter pilot Ara Zobayan.

The crash was officially ruled an accident, though investigators continue to search for the cause of the crash. The NTSB revealed that the aircraft was not equipped with safety equipment that has become standard in the industry.