It looks like Antonio Brown won’t get his $9 million signing bonus from the New England Patriots anytime soon. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the Patriots did not play the first installment of Brown’s signing bonus which was due on Monday. He was scheduled to get $5 million, but with the team cutting him last week after signing him earlier in the month, the Patriots feel he did not meet his end of the bargain. That said, Brown could get the money when it’s all said and done.
“He did not commit a ‘forfeitable breach’ under the terms of the labor deal. Thus, the Patriots will have to fashion an argument based on, for example, Brown withholding information as to the threatened sexual assault and rape litigation from the team,” Florio wrote. “The Patriots would argue that they wouldn’t have signed Brown if they’d known about the potential lawsuit, especially since it can (and did) spark an NFL investigation that could result in Brown being placed on paid leave.”
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What Brown can and will probably do is file a grievance against the NFL and not only get the $9 million but he could also get the balance of his $1 million guaranteed salary. Either way, Brown will get $283,333 from the Patriots due to the week two game check of $62,500, a week three game check of $62,500 (which he earned on Tuesday), and a per-game roster bonus of $33,333 for week two.
Brown was cut from the Patriots because of the recent allegations against him. Right when Brown signed with the Pats, his former trainer Britney Taylor filed a sexual assault lawsuit against him. Last week, an unnamed woman told Sports Illustrated Brown got naked and started hitting on her while she was painting a mural at his home.
Once Brown was released, he announced on social media he was done playing in the NFL.
“Will not be playing in the [NFL] anymore these owners can cancel deals do whatever they want at anytime we will see if the [NFLPA] hold them accountable sad they can just void guarantees anytime going on 40m 2 months will see if they pay up!” Brown wrote in the tweet.
Brown has played in the NFL since 2010. He played for the Pittsburgh Steelers for nine seasons and he was named to the Pro Bowl seven times while being selected to the All-Pro Team five times.
