When news broke of the allegations against Antonio Brown, there were multiple details that warranted attention. Obviously, the incidents in themselves caused many to recoil in horror, as did the number. However, there was another aspect that slightly flew under the radar. Namely, there was an unnamed NFL rookie that was reportedly present for one of the incidents that occurred between Brown and his accuser, Britney Taylor.
According to Pro Football Talk, that rookie now has a name. Rookie wide receiver for the Baltimore Ravens, Marquise Brown, is the player in question, per sources with knowledge of the situation. This is notable considering that the two players are cousins and have a life-long relationship. Marquise is also expected to provide more details to the NFL investigators as part of the process for determining if there will be a suspension or other punishment.
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Of course, the relationship between the two wide receivers could create an issue when the younger Brown’s statement is taken into account. Per PFT, “Marquise Brown is expected to give information that will support his cousin’s position.” How much weight will his statement carry with the league considering that the two receivers routinely talk.
“Ms. Taylor, Brown, and the other known football player left the club together in Ms. Taylor’s rental car,” the lawsuit stated. “She drove the two men back to Brown’s home, where they were staying…Ms. Taylor was planning to immediately drive to her hotel room but went into Brown’s home to use the restroom and grab some food from the kitchen. While Ms. Taylor was walking toward the front door, Brown grabbed her arm, told her he wanted to talk to her, and pulled her into his bedroom.”
This was the sequence of events that led to one of the alleged incidents. According to the lawsuit, Marquise did not have any contact with Taylor afterward. She reportedly left the premises without talking to anyone and returned at a later date to gather her belongings.
At this point, it is unknown if the NFL has met with either Antonio or Marquise Brown, but this is expected to take place in the coming days. The NFL wants to get the investigation completed in time to make a decision and has already met with Taylor.
How much of a role will the Ravens rookie’s statement play in the investigation? Will it carry more weight based on his relationship with Antonio Brown, or will everything he says be met with skepticism? The answer is unknown, but the league should have an answer on the horizon.
