NFL Notes: Antonio Brown, Officiating, Patriots

Antonio Brown

• Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, citing a source with knowledge of the situation, reports that there were three teams interested in Antonio Brown following his release from the Patriots. 
• However, Saturday’s tweets posted by Brown, which included shots at Patriots owner Robert Kraft and claiming he’s done with the NFL may have impacted the leave of interest from these teams. The tweet about Kraft has since been deleted. 
• Florio says the belief is that Brown eventually will want to return to the NFL once the NFL’s investigation is completed and discipline is handed out. 
• It’s highly unlikely any team will sign him while the investigation is ongoing. 

Officiating

• According to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert, the NFL held a conference call Saturday night with its 17 referees to try and get everyone on the same page regarding holding calls. 
• Offensive holding calls have been up 66 percent so far in 2019 and the call was aimed at addressing that. NFL head of officiating Al Riveron said these types of calls aren’t unusual during the season. 

Patriots

• Former Patriots WR Antonio Brown is filing a grievance against the team to attempt to recoup his $10 million in guaranteed money, including a $9 million signing bonus. (Chris Mortensen)
• Following a string of tweets from Brown taking aim at Patriots owner Robert Kraft for his involvement in a prostitution scandal, an NFL source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter, “Kraft never writing that check, no matter what the ruling is now.”