Antonio Brown may avoid suspension, play in Week 1

Antonio Brown and the Oakland Raiders may be calling a truce just in time for the start of the regular season.

It was widely reported on Thursday that Brown will be suspended for at least a portion of Monday night’s game against the Denver Broncos following his heated confrontation with GM Mike Mayock at practice. However, Brown appears to be taking steps to rectify the situation, as he delivered a heartfelt apology in front of the Raiders on Friday morning. In the wake of that, Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that there is a “real chance” Brown could avoid a suspension altogether and play in Week 1.

Here is a sense of how quickly things are changing in Oakland: Yesterday, #Raiders coach Jon Gruden told people AB was not in their plans for Monday. Now, I hear… there is a real chance he not only does not get suspended but actually plays. Wild times

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 6, 2019

Both sides should be motivated to put all of the offseason drama behind them, as the Raiders know their offense needs Brown and Brown could be at risk of having the team try to void the guarantees in his contract. The question is whether or not Brown can stop creating distractions, which is something he has consistently done for several weeks now.

Brown reportedly confronted Mayock in the middle of practice on Wednesday and said some offensive things to the GM. The outburst came after Brown publicly ripped the team on Instagram for fining him over missed practice time during training camp.

If Mayock and the Raiders feel that Friday’s apology was genuine and Brown is ready to focus on football, the team will certainly be in a better spot heading into Week 1. Of course, that is a big “if” given all that has transpired.