Report: Patriots were not aware of Antonio Brown allegations before signing him

Antonio Brown has been named in a civil lawsuit from a woman who claims the star receiver sexually assaulted her on numerous occasions, and some have assumed the New England Patriots must have known about the claims before they signed Brown to a contract. Apparently that is not the case.

The Patriots were “caught by surprise” when Brown’s former trainer, Britney Taylor, filed a lawsuit against him on Tuesday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The team has since released a statement confirming that the allegations are being investigated and will be taken seriously.

Taylor’s lawsuit, filed in the Southern District of Florida, alleges that Brown sexually assaulted her twice in June 2017 and raped her in May 2018. Taylor is seeking compensation for “physical injuries, pain and suffering, humiliation, embarrassment, stress and anxiety, loss of self-esteem and self-confidence, and emotional pain and suffering.” You can read more about the allegations here.

Brown’s attorney denied all of the allegations, claiming Brown and Taylor were in a consensual sexual relationship and that the woman is making a “money grab.” Taylor’s attorneys say some emails sent from Brown to their client back in June prove that Brown bragged about sexually assaulting Taylor, though the emails also appear to show Brown accusing Taylor of lying for financial gain.

Brown was expected to make his debut for the Patriots against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, and it’s unclear if the lawsuit will impact his status with the team. Schefter said on a Boston-based radio show Wednesday that he anticipated Brown being at practice as originally scheduled.

For more on the subject:

– A summary of the lawsuits filed against Antonio Brown since 2018
– Britney Taylor passed lie detector test regarding Antonio Brown allegations
– Britney Taylor planning to meet with NFL after her wedding
– The text messages Antonio Brown allegedly sent Britney Taylor
– Antonio Brown planning to file countersuit against Britney Taylor
– Attorney defends Antonio Brown against ‘money grab’ allegations
– Patriots react to lawsuit filed against Antonio Brown

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