Raiders Release WR Antonio Brown After Series of Incidents

Brown asked for a release from the Raiders in an Instagram post shared on Saturday morning. 
Raiders Release WR Antonio Brown After Series of Incidents
Raiders Release WR Antonio Brown After Series of Incidents /

The Raiders released wide receiver Antonio Brown on Saturday morning, the organization announced

Brown asked to be released in an Instagram post shared on Saturday. His request came after Oakland reportedly voided $29.125 million in contract guarantees due to conduct detrimental to the team, per ESPN's Adam Schefter

Brown explained his frustration with the Raiders in a text to the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport on Saturday. 

"Told me do not come in Thursday. Bad my name. Then come work, give two papers after the press conference," Brown reportedly wrote. "No guaranteed no way."

Brown's agent Drew Rosenhaus made a statement on the receiver's release early Saturday afternoon.

"Now that Antonio is a free agent, we are focused on the future and I will immediately work on signing him to a new team," Rosenhaus told The MMQB's Albert Breer. "Antonio is looking forward to a new beginning."

The four-time All-Pro posted a video on Friday night detailing a phone conversation between Gruden and Brown. The video ends with Brown saying the video's title, "This is my life. Ain't no more games." 

Raiders general manager Mike Mayock joined the Brown drama on Wednesday. Brown and Mayock got into a dispute at Raiders' practice after Brown posted a photo of his previously accrued fines on Instagram.

Brown previously missed large portions of Raiders' training camp due to a helmet dispute with the NFL and a foot injury in a cryotherapy chamber

Oakland traded for Brown in a deal with Pittsburgh in March. 


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Michael Shapiro
MICHAEL SHAPIRO

Michael Shapiro is a staff writer for Sports Illustrated. He is a Denver native and 2018 graduate of The University of Texas at Austin.