NFL Notes: Antonio Brown, Rob Gronkowski, Patriots

Antonio Brown

• Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports that Antonio Brown appears to be in a standoff with the NFL regarding the league’s investigation into the sexual assault allegations made against him. 
• Sources close to Brown tell Fowler that he’s ready to interview with the NFL. However, a separate source mentioned that the NFL feels like it’s waiting on Brown. 
• Fowler says that NFL teams won’t sign Brown to a contract until the matter is cleared up. 
• For the time being, Brown is continuing to work out and train in South Florida. 

Rob Gronkowski

Retired TE Rob Gronkowski suggested he would consider unretiring if the NFL legalizes CBD for the use of players. 

“I don’t want to be banned from playing the sport I love because I’m using a product that anyone can buy right off the shelf at their local pharmacy,” Gronkowski said, via the Boston Herald. “I’m not really sure why it’s banned.”

“I also want to have the option to get back into the game, and if I’m banned next year I can’t,” Gronkowski added.

With CBA negotiations with the NFLPA ongoing, it’s unlikely the league would make any concessions unless they’re part of a new agreement.

“I’m not saying you put this on and you’re going to be healed, that it’s a miracle,” Gronkowski said. “But you can apply this and it’ll help manage the pain, and then you can get treatment and it’ll be a lot less stressful to the body.”

Patriots

Patriots WR Phillip Dorsett admitted that everyone was surprised by the team’s decision to place WR Josh Gordon on injured reserve with the intention of moving on from him. 

“It’s nothing new. It happens every year,” Dorsett said, via WEEI.com. “The thing that makes this group really, really good is that we’re interchangeable and we’re resilient. I got traded two years ago, Josh got traded here last year and we got Sanu now. Things happen.”