Raiders

Antonio Brown Will Play For Raiders In Week 1

September 6, 2019

Raiders HC Jon Gruden announced before Friday’s practice that WR Antonio Brown is back with the team and the plan is to play him on Monday night against the Broncos.

“That’s the plan,” Gruden said. “That’s the plan, yes.”

“Antonio is back today. We’re really excited about that. Ready to move on. He’s had a lot of, obviously, time to think about things. We’re happy to have him back and I know Raider Nation is excited about that, too.”

Josina Anderson reported earlier that Brown issued “an emotional apology” at a team meeting Friday morning “with team captains standing with him.”

A Raiders source added that the response to Brown’s apology was that the team “treated him like a family member.”

Ian Rapoport reports that while Gruden told people Brown was not in their plans for Monday’s game against the Broncos, there is now a “real chance” Brown isn’t suspended.

Josina Anderson of ESPN reported that Brown was the one who initiated the situation with GM Mike Mayock during Wednesday’s practice.

A source confirmed to Anderson that Brown was unhappy with the fine levied by the team and he decided to confront Mayock at practice. Anderson added that Brown called Mayock a “cracker” and unleashed a barrage of “cuss words” during the altercation with Mayock.

Mayock attempted to defuse the situation and walk away, according to Anderson.

“[Mayock] was like, ‘I’m cool, I understand your displeasure,’” Anderson’s source said. “[Mayock] sort of just like … just walked away because he saw it escalate.”

Brown, 31, is a former sixth-round pick of the Steelers back in 2010. He was in the third year of his five-year, $72.71 million contract when the Steelers traded him to the Raiders back in March.

The Raiders later signed Brown to a new contract worth $50.125 million and includes $30.125 million guaranteed.

In 2018, Brown appeared in 15 games for the Steelers and caught 104 passes for 1,297 yards and 15 touchdowns. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 26 receiver out of 117 qualifying players.