The NFL is still investigating a number of claims against Antonio Brown, and there has been a lot of speculation that the league is intentionally dragging things out in order to discourage teams from signing the star wide receiver this season. Brown seems to think that is the case.
On Wednesday, a Twitter follower asked Brown why he is not back playing in the league. He said that is a question for the NFL, not him.
Ask the @nfl https://t.co/C708x1pxTQ
— AB (@AB84) November 6, 2019
Brown has not been suspended or placed on the commissioner’s exempt list, so he is technically free to sign with any team. However, the league said after the New England Patriots released him that there is no reason to place him on the exempt list as long as he remains a free agent, which means they could decide to make that move if a team signs him. Between that and the potential drama Brown could bring, most teams probably feel it is not worth signing him at the moment.
Brown’s talent is undeniable. The 31-year-old made a huge impact in the lone game in which he played for the Patriots, and he looked like he was going to be a natural fit with Tom Brady. However, he was facing a sexual assault lawsuit at the time and then accused of sexual misconduct by a second woman, and New England parted ways with him after he sent troubling text messages to the second accuser.
The NFL has conducted interviews with at least one of the women who accused Brown of sexual assault, and his attempts to move things along quickly are not getting anywhere. If we see him in the league again, it probably won’t be until 2020.
