{"id":72792,"date":"2019-09-11T06:47:40","date_gmt":"2019-09-11T10:47:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonprofootball.com\/?p=72792"},"modified":"2021-03-09T22:19:15","modified_gmt":"2021-03-10T03:19:15","slug":"new-england-patriots-antonio-brown-suit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2019\/09\/11\/new-england-patriots-antonio-brown-suit\/","title":{"rendered":"What the New England Patriots Should Do With Antonio Brown"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/search\/search.fcgi?pid=BrowAn04,BrowAn01&amp;search=Antonio+Brown&amp;utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Antonio Brown<\/a><\/strong> is back in the news, and this time it\u2019s for a lot more than just a helmet. One of Brown\u2019s former trainers <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonprofootball.com\/2019\/09\/10\/antonio-brown-accused-of-sexual-assault-rape\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">filed a suit<\/a> against Brown accusing the four-time All-Pro of sexual assault and rape. The <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonprofootball.com\/nfl-teams\/patriots\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">New England Patriots<\/a> were reportedly unaware of Brown\u2019s impending suit when they signed him on Monday, but now they face the difficult task of figuring out what to do with a player this talented.<\/p>\n<p>This is obviously a delicate situation and, as of this posting, it\u2019s unclear whether Brown is truly in the wrong or is he\u2019s being extorted. Fantasy football expert @incarceratedbob revealed some of Antonio Brown\u2019s direct messages from three days ago. In those messages, an unnamed woman claims to have audio and texts proving that Brown\u2019s accuser is falsifying the claims in an attempt to extort Brown. The Patriots are going to need to make a decision on how to handle the Antonio Brown situation, and they have a few options to weigh.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Antonio Brown drama continues&#8230;<br \/>Exclusive IG convo between AB and unnamed female. <\/p>\n<p>AB is saying a former trainer and her mom are extorting him for cash \ud83d\udcb0 he\u2019s been complying according to his direct messages. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Raiders?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#Raiders<\/a> might know according to female in chat. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/rm3OySh0L4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/rm3OySh0L4<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; IB THE GAMBLER \ud83d\udd0c (@incarceratedbob) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/incarceratedbob\/status\/1170215266527141889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">September 7, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h2><strong>How New England Patriots Should Handle the Antonio Brown Suit<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3>Commissioners Exempt List<\/h3>\n<p>The most obvious option is that the Patriots or the NFL throw him on the Commissioner\u2019s Exempt list. For those unfamiliar, this list essentially allows a team to earn a roster exemption for a player in \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nfl.com\/news\/story\/0ap3000000725141\/article\/what-is-the-reservecommissioner-exempt-list\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">unusual circumstances<\/a>.\u201d Brown\u2019s situation certainly fits that bill, and the Patriots would likely get approval if they asked the league.<\/p>\n<p>This wouldn\u2019t be the first time a team has used the exempt list on a player in Brown\u2019s situation. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/H\/HardGr99.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Greg Hardy<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/V\/VickMi00.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Michael Vick<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/search\/search.fcgi?pid=PeteAd01,PeteAd00&amp;search=Adrian+Peterson&amp;utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Adrian Peterson<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/B\/brownjos01.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Josh Brown<\/a><\/strong>, and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/F\/FostRe00.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Reuben Foster<\/a><\/strong> have all been on the list when dealing with respective legal issues. Doing this would give New England an extra roster spot while keeping Brown away from team activities. If on the exempt list, New England could comfortably sit back, wait for the situation to play out, and make a move once the situation gains some clarity.<\/p>\n<h3>The Patriots Other Options for Antonio Brown<\/h3>\n<p>The Patriots are likely to use the Commissioner\u2019s Exempt list, but there are other options on the table. New England claimed to be unaware of Brown\u2019s charges when they signed him, but it\u2019s hard to believe that claim. As previously mentioned, @incarceratedbob knew the suit was coming back on September 7<sup>th<\/sup>. It\u2019s hard to imagine that Twitter knew more about Brown\u2019s legal status than a billion-dollar organization, so New England probably believes Brown can prove his innocence. Additionally, this is a civil case, not a criminal one, which means Brown is eligible to keep playing.<\/p>\n<p>Brown\u2019s direct messages show an exchange with a woman who claims to have audio and texts which prove the accuser is simply trying to extort Brown. If that\u2019s true, this evidence should surface in the coming days and effectively clear Brown\u2019s name. If that happens, the Patriots can put Brown back on the field without having to worry about any negative repercussions.<\/p>\n<p>Barring a ridiculously quick turnaround, Brown shouldn\u2019t play in Week Two against Miami. It\u2019s hard to imagine the situation resolving itself that quickly, even if the audio and texts really do exist. Anything beyond that point is still on the table. If Brown can effectively clear his name, New England should let him back on the field for Week Three. However, if this evidence doesn\u2019t surface or if it\u2019s not as exonerating as implied, then New England can\u2019t have him play.<\/p>\n<h3>Try to Be Better<\/h3>\n<p>Unless the evidence was absolutely overwhelming, most teams would turn a blind eye when dealing with a player this talented. We\u2019ve seen this around the league with cases like <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/H\/HillTy00.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tyreek Hill<\/a>,<\/strong> Greg Hardy, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/R\/RiceRa00.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ray Rice<\/a><\/strong>, and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/H\/HuntKa00.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kareem Hunt<\/a><\/strong>. However, New England should aim to be better. If there\u2019s any question as to whether Brown really did this, he can\u2019t take the field as a Patriot. The best course of action is to wait for the evidence to arrive and then play it by ear.<\/p>\n<p>Main photo:<br \/>\n<a id=\"CHB8hhSRSglGVR0hK5Qetg\" class=\"gie-single\" style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/1090505174\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'CHB8hhSRSglGVR0hK5Qetg',sig:'aRfP0vv7sm7xhO-2fUGP-DYVWKBYeo3J1pchGJqD_2o=',w:'594px',h:'414px',items:'1090505174',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The New England Patriots face a difficult decision regarding Antonio Brown. Let&#8217;s break down how the team should respond to the sexual assault suit.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2376,"featured_media":72794,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5,54],"tags":[62,138,172,916,191,1456],"class_list":["post-72792","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-patriots","category-editorials","tag-adrian-peterson","tag-antonio-brown","tag-greg-hardy","tag-josh-brown","tag-michael-vick","tag-reuben-foster"],"modified_by":"David Latham, Managing Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72792","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2376"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=72792"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72792\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/72794"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=72792"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=72792"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=72792"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}