OT: Raiders release Antonio Brown

[Carnac]

The Oakland Raiders have announced they've released Antonio Brown, making the wide receiver eligible to sign with any team at 4:01 p.m. ET on Saturday.

Brown told ESPN's Jeff Darlington in an email Saturday that there is "no way" he plays for the Raiders.

The Pro Bowl wide receiver said this is his stance after the team "took away my [contract] guarantees." He added: "no way I play after they took that and made my contract week to week."

Breaking news: Brown finds new home, agrees to deal with Pats.
Damn that was fast. Rosenhaus is good.


The Raiders fined Brown $215,073.53 for conduct detrimental to the team, league sources told Schefter on Saturday.

By fining Brown, the Raiders voided the $29.125 million worth of guaranteed money in his deal, sources told Schefter.

[LINK]

Best news I've read all week. Gruden is heart broken, but he'll get over it.

 

[stamfordhusky]

The best news is that he lost over $29 Million of guaranteed money. It will be interesting to see if anyone gives him even a dime of guarantees. He has been a cancer on his teams since he first showed up in the NFL.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

The Oakland Raiders have announced they've released Antonio Brown, making the wide receiver eligible to sign with any team at 4:01 p.m. ET on Saturday.

Brown told ESPN's Jeff Darlington in an email Saturday that there is "no way" he plays for the Raiders.

The Pro Bowl wide receiver said this is his stance after the team "took away my [contract] guarantees." He added: "no way I play after they took that and made my contract week to week."

The Raiders fined Brown $215,073.53 for conduct detrimental to the team, league sources told Schefter on Saturday.

By fining Brown, the Raiders voided the $29.125 million worth of guaranteed money in his deal, sources told Schefter.



Best news I've read all week.

Can't agree more. Spoiled head cases spoiling sports everywhere. This guy is an extreme example.

 

[GoingPostal]

I can't see any team signing Brown unless he's willing to come in for no guaranteed money and just gets a base salary and bonuses if he achieves certain goals related to catches, TD's, games played, etc. which is not very likely to happen. I don't think Gruden comes out of this looking very good either.

 

[oldude]

Brown had to go, that’s for sure, but so far in his return to Oakland, John Gruden has been underwhelming. Don’t be surprised if Gruden is back on MNF doing color commentary soon.

 

[Centerstream]

Rumor is that he is heading to Foxborough/Foxboro:

NFL Fans Already Worried Antonio Brown Is Going To Land With Patriots - NESN.com

You knew this was coming. The Raiders reportedly plan to suspend Antonio Brown after the star wideout got into a heated altercation with Oakland general manager Mike Mayock. However, some around the NFL believe that this, in conjunction with Brown’s myriad of issues throughout the summer, could...

nesn.com

I am guessing that he will be heading to Arlington TX.

 

[Beemer]

He did it to himself. What a jerk.

 

[eebmg]

Not sure what he can extort but he will probably land on a better team.

 

[SVCBeercats]

I can't see any team signing Brown unless ...

I tend to agree with you, however, in professional athletics giant egos abound. Some egomaniacal owner/GM/head coach will probably give him what he wants.

 

[JoePgh]

How does a team get a unilateral right to cancel all the guaranteed money in a player's contract simply by imposing a fine on him for a specific violation? If the team can do that unilaterally, then what does it mean to describe the money as "guaranteed"?

It seems that any team that didn't feel like paying off a player's contract (perhaps only because his on-field performance has been disappointing, or because the team wanted to use the money for someone else), they could just find a trumped-up violation to fine him for, and they would be magically released from the contract that they agreed to. I 'm not saying that AB's violation was trumped up, but what protection would another player have against having his contract voided in this way?

 

[j66kicker]

It seems that any team that didn't feel like paying off a player's contract (perhaps only because his on-field performance has been disappointing, or because the team wanted to use the money for someone else), they could just find a trumped-up violation to fine him.... what protection would another player have against having his contract voided in this way?

Players union will challenge this and it will go to arbitration. AB will probably lose, but a player who is a good teammate and employee and just isn't performing on the field would probably have their guaranteed money upheld by an arbitrator.

 

[oldude]

Rumor is that he is heading to Foxborough/Foxboro:

NFL Fans Already Worried Antonio Brown Is Going To Land With Patriots - NESN.com

You knew this was coming. The Raiders reportedly plan to suspend Antonio Brown after the star wideout got into a heated altercation with Oakland general manager Mike Mayock. However, some around the NFL believe that this, in conjunction with Brown’s myriad of issues throughout the summer, could...

nesn.com

I am guessing that he will be heading to Arlington TX.

Maybe he’ll end up in Cleveland where AB & OBJ can compete with each other as the NFL’s MVE (Most Valuable Ego).

 

[eebmg]

Fittingly, the truly best receiver (skill and professionalism) Julio Jones just gets
his contract extension. So happy Atlanta treated him properly.

Falcons sign Jones to record 3-year extension

What a contrast to Brown.

 

[Wbbfan1]

From what I understand, all AB had to do was play Monday Night and he would have been guaranteed $19 Million Dollars. I could have kept off Instagram/Twitter for a couple of days to get the guaranteed dollars. Then if I believed I was wronged, go on Instagram on Tuesday.

 

[cordarone]

How does a team get a unilateral right to cancel all the guaranteed money in a player's contract simply by imposing a fine on him for a specific violation? If the team can do that unilaterally, then what does it mean to describe the money as "guaranteed"?

It seems that any team that didn't feel like paying off a player's contract (perhaps only because his on-field performance has been disappointing, or because the team wanted to use the money for someone else), they could just find a trumped-up violation to fine him for, and they would be magically released from the contract that they agreed to. I 'm not saying that AB's violation was trumped up, but what protection would another player have against having his contract voided in this way?

It's not unilateral since Brown accepted the terms for voiding his guaranteed money when he signed his contract. As noted above the one thing he (and the NFLPA) can do now is file a grievance. What he and his agent could have done earlier was to have those conditions removed from the contract in the first place. Given his prior history, even the Raiders wouldn't have signed him then. ::shrug::
Those terms in his contract can be found in this article

It is standard for NFL contracts to contain language voiding salary guarantees for a laundry list of reasons. The conditions vary depending on team convention, the attention the agent pays to the language and his/her leverage in negotiations.

Brown's contract isn't any different than anybody else's....

"Notwithstanding this Skill, Injury and Cap Guarantee, Player shall report to Club, practice with Club, play with Club, and honor all terms of the Contract, including all addenda thereto. If at any time Player does not report to Club; does not practice or play with Club; leaves Club without prior written approval (including, but not limited to retirement); does not honor any terms of the Contract (including any addenda thereto); is suspended by the NFL or Club for conduct detrimental, violation of the NFL's Personal Conduct Policy, ..

 

[eebmg]

From what I understand, all AB had to do was play Monday Night and he would have been guaranteed $19 Million Dollars. I could have kept off Instagram/Twitter for a couple of days to get the guaranteed dollars. Then if I believed I was wronged, go on Instagram on Tuesday.

Up until now, every stunt he pulled was met with indulgence so why would he have thought he would not get away with it again. Anyway, I expect think he will launch a gutter fight online and elsewhere and probably sabotoge any hope of a new team taking a chance.

 

[JordyG]

It's not unilateral since Brown accepted the terms for voiding his guaranteed money when he signed his contract. As noted above the one thing he (and the NFLPA) can do now is file a grievance. What he and his agent could have done earlier was to have those conditions removed from the contract in the first place. Given his prior history, even the Raiders wouldn't have signed him then. ::shrug::
Those terms in his contract can be found in this article

Correct. As soon as I saw the words "Conduct unbecoming" on the fine letter I new that would be grounds to void the guarantee. He got everything he deserved. If Brown thought the terms of his Raider contract was unfair, wait untill he sees his next contract, whether it's for another team or when he has to get a real job.

 

[eebmg]

So, when can the Raiders recoup Gruden's guaranteed money?

 

[MSGRET]

How does a team get a unilateral right to cancel all the guaranteed money in a player's contract simply by imposing a fine on him for a specific violation? If the team can do that unilaterally, then what does it mean to describe the money as "guaranteed"?

It seems that any team that didn't feel like paying off a player's contract (perhaps only because his on-field performance has been disappointing, or because the team wanted to use the money for someone else), they could just find a trumped-up violation to fine him for, and they would be magically released from the contract that they agreed to. I 'm not saying that AB's violation was trumped up, but what protection would another player have against having his contract voided in this way?

Brown was in violation of his contact for not participating in 75 percent of his preseason practice, most of it because he didn't want to wear an approved type helmet and he also had incidents with the GM and other Raiders official. I believe that it was the owner and the GM that made the decision to void the contract and release him. Gruden wanted to keep him.

 

[Scud49]

And he has signed with the Patriots- just saw a bulletin.....wow....

 

[eebmg]

And he has signed with the Patriots- just saw a bulletin.....wow....

Source: Brown agrees to deal with Patriots

1 yr 15 million. 9 million guaranteed.

 

[triaddukefan]

Looking forward to seeing those Patriots fans wearing Antonio Brown jerseys

 

[eebmg]

Whose going to get bounced first. Brown or Gordon?

 

[Alydar]

And suddenly the newest Patriot goes from "cancer" to "worthy of another chance", at least in the eyes of many around here.

 

[cferraro04]

Wow! Is there anybody here who doesn't think he is going to be problem for the Pats? This guy has never been told no in his life...not unusual for a gifted professional athlete...but, spoiled as he is...I find it hard to believe that he will suddenly become a boyscout.