Antonio Brown Tells Raiders He Won’t Play Football Again Unless He Can Wear His Old Helmet

Adam Schefter reports Raiders WR Antonio Brown has told team officials that, unless he gets to wear his old helmet, he will not play football again.

According to Schefter, Brown believes the new helmet that the rules mandate he wears — Schutt Air Advantage helmet — protrudes out and interferes with his vision as he tries to catch the football. Schutt has discontinued making this helmet and is no longer certified by the National Operating Committee for Standards and Athletic Equipment.

The Raiders have been sending Brown other approved helmets to try out but, at this time, he is not interested in wearing any of them.

 League sources have told Schefter that Brown had a two-hour conference call with league officials on Friday in an attempt to argue why he should be allowed to wear his 10-year-old helmet.

Schefter says that a decision could come as early as next week.

The Raiders said they are “aware and supportive of Antonio Brown, but [have] no further comment.”

• Pro Football Talk reports that the model of helmet Brown uses isn’t banned, but the NFL won’t allow a player to use a helmet that’s 10 years old. 
• One teammate tells Mike Silver of Brown’s stance: “[It’s] honestly the most insane thing I have ever heard. I don’t know why it’s so important to him. It doesn’t make any sense.”
• Silver says that Brown showed up for the first OTA practice and requested his old helmet. However, after being told he’d have to wear an approved model, witnesses say he loudly voiced his displeasure, complaining QBs such as Brady and Rodgers were not being subjected to the same scrutiny.
• Brown later showed up before once again trying to take the field with his old helmet, which he repainted with colors approximating—but not completely mimicking—the Raiders’ silver-and-black design.
• According to one Raiders player, “He’s still freaking out about it. He hasn’t been here for awhile, and no one knows where he’s at.”
• Beyond the helmet issues, Silver reports that Brown has frustrated his new bosses by showing up late to numerous meetings and by often appearing unfocused in them.
• Witnesses have told Silver that Brown “typically glances at the screens of several tablets and his smartphone during meetings, distracting himself by engaging in activities which include perusing his bank accounts and liking photos on Instagram.“
• One of Silver’s source did, however, say “the meeting thing isn’t that bad… but the feet, helmet and going dark is an issue.”

A report from earlier in the day mentioned that Brown is expected to rejoin the Raiders in the near future. However, it appears as though this helmet issue is bigger than the injury to his feet.

Reports have said that Brown’s foot injury is related to frostbite he sustained after not wearing the proper protective material in a cryotherapy machine. 

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.

We’ll have more regarding Brown as the news is available.