Raiders

Raiders Fine Antonio Brown For Incident With Mike Mayock, Brown Posts Taped Conversation With Jon Gruden

September 6, 2019

Update:

Antonio Brown has since posted a video on Youtube of a taped conversation between him and HC Jon Gruden.

Antonio Brown has posted a two-minute video to his YouTube page that features a (NSFW) conversation between him and #Raiders coach Jon Gruden. https://t.co/RIJi8UVNku

— Myles Simmons (@MylesASimmons) September 7, 2019

A Raiders’ source tells Chris Mortensen that Gruden was truly amused by the video and thinks it was “awesome.”

According to Ed Werder of ESPN, the Raiders have fined WR Antonio Brown an unspecified amount for the incident involving GM Mike Mayock.

“He’s been fined and he’s not happy,” a source tells Werder.

This is now the second time the Raiders have fined Brown in less than a week.

Josina Anderson of ESPN reported earlier in the day that Brown was actually the one who initiated the situation with Mayock during Wednesday’s practice.

A source tells Anderson that Brown was unhappy with the original fine levied by the team and decided to confront Mayock at practice. According to Anderson’s source, Brown called Mayock a “cracker” and unleashed a barrage of “cuss words” during the altercation.

Mayock reportedly attempted to defuse the situation by walking away.

“[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 has since denied calling Mayock a “cracker” and issued “an emotional apology” at a team meeting Friday morning “with team captains standing with him,” per Anderson.

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

Raiders HC Jon Gruden later announced before Friday’s practice that Brown was back with the team and the plan is for him to play 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.”

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.