Former Raiders GM Mike Mayock Revisits Antonio Brown Debacle

Back in 2019, the then Oakland Raiders landed one of the best wide receivers at the time and brought him to Oakland to be their next star receiver and take that offense to a whole different level.

That wide receiver was Antonio Brown. Then, the head coach was Jon Gruden, and the general manager was Mike Mayock. Mayock was in his second season as the general manager, and he made the first big splash for the team. It was a great feeling about this move, but it went wrong so fast.

Mayock wanted to make the offense more explosive and pair Brown with then-Raiders quarterback Derek Carr. The Raiders traded for Brown, but what happened next was shocking to him and the whole organization. The Raiders gave Brown an extension, and it was good money for the wide receiver position at the time. The problem then became as the first were set to start training camp and get ready for the 2019 season, Brown did not really touch the practice field.

Aug 22, 2019; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; Oakland Raiders wide receiver Antonio Brown reacts before a game against the Green Bay Packers at Investors Group Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Things got messed up with Brown and Mayock when Brown was present at team practices. And it got the whole NFL world talking about it. On the field, there seemed to be a lot of heated talk, but then when they were asked, it got brought down to nothing happening. Then Brown issued an apology. But that was just the start of him eventually being released by the Raiders.

"I'm excited to be out here today," Antonio Brown said back in 2019 about the agreements with Mayock. "I apologized to my teammates and the organization, [but] enough talk, man. I'm excited to be out here with my teammates. I'm grateful for all the fans. I'm excited to be a part of the Raiders."

Aug 18, 2021; Thousand Oaks, CA, USA; Las Vegas Raiders general manager Mike Mayock during a joint practice against the Los Angeles Rams. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Imagescd | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Mayock Revisits Crazy Antonio Brown Situation

"Dude, let me tell you something. We ended up not nullifying his contract and his guarantees," said Mike Mayock on Sportsradio94WIP. "And as you know, the whole key to being an NFL player is how much of my contract is guaranteed. That is the whole deal. And he had close to $30 million in guarantees, and he left. Aside from not practicing, he left training camp to go home without asking for permission. And finally, we wrote him a letter that basically said You are done."

"Your guarantees are nullified. And that is when he went off on me on the practice field."

Former Raiders GM Mike Mayock recounts the wild Antonio Brown situation. pic.twitter.com/djRaDJoWOS
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