Antonio Brown Suspended for Eight Games for Violating NFL's Personal Conduct Policy

Free-agent wide receiver Antonio Brown has received an eight-game suspension without pay for multiple violations of the NFL's personal conduct policy.

Brown may sign with any team in free agency and would be eligible to participate in a club's preseason activities. His suspension would go into effect on Sept. 5, and he could return after a team's eighth game.

The NFL opened an investigation into Brown after a lawsuit was filed by his former trainer Britney Taylor alleging he sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions. In Septemeber 2019, Sports Illustrated released a story including a second account of sexual misconduct involving Brown. Brown med with the NFL in November as part of the investigation, and he has denied the accusations.

In June, Brown pled no contest to charges related to a moving truck battery case from earlier this year. In the alleged incident, Brown was accused of refusing to pay a $4,000 moving fee for a company that was delivering his items to Florida from his California home. The driver claimed Brown threw a rock at the moving truck and assaulted him. 

The NFL said Brown was directed to continue his program of counseling and treatment as part of the discipline. The league also advised the 32-year-old that any future violations of the personal conduct policy "will likely result in more significant discipline."

Brown missed most of the 2019 season after New England released him in September, and he has repeatedly stated his desire to return to the NFL. Now, he will miss half of the 2020 season under the suspension.