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The Antonio Brown helmet sage will never end.
Two weeks ago, Brown filed a grievance against the NFL because the helmet he currently wears is over 10 years old and is not compliant to the current NFL helmet policy.
Via ESPN
Oakland Raiders wide receiver Antonio Brown has filed a grievance against the NFL to be allowed to wear the helmet he prefers, not one of the helmets that league rules mandate, league sources told ESPN on Friday.
Brown is expected to have a hearing about the helmet as early as next week, and an arbitrator will decide whether he gets to wear the one he wants.
An arbitrator ruled against Brown in his initial grievance against the league.
An arbitrator ruled against Raiders’ WR Antonio Brown’s grievance to wear his old helmet, per source.
Now Brown must decide if he’s willing to play football with a new helmet he desperately does not want to wear.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 12, 2019
Brown and his team then were found a loophole in the new helmet policy that would allow bROWN to wear his preferred helmet if he found one made after 2010.
The NFL, however, decided to close the loophole yesterday.
Per source . . . .
Good news: Antonio Brown found a Schutt AiR Advantage made in 2014.
Bad news: The NFL changed its position, requiring the helmet to be tested.
Expected news: The helmet failed.— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) August 17, 2019
More details from our story: The helmet was made specifically for a film, NOCSAE certified it for use, the NFL (which had told the Raiders NOCSAE certification was sufficient) decided to require separate testing https://t.co/q1Abu5clpC
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) August 17, 2019
Minor clarification: The helmet that was certified by NOCSAE but then separately tested by the NFL was made in 2010. Brown also found an AiR Advantage helmet made in 2014, which has yet to be tested by the NFL. Brown's representatives now presume that any AiR Advantage will fail.
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) August 17, 2019
Now Brown is filing another grievance against the NFL to let him wear a Schutt Air Advantage helmet that was made less than 10 years ago.
Per source, Antonio Brown has filed a new grievance against the NFL over its attempt to prevent him from wearing any Schutt AiR Advantage helmet less than 10 years old.
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) August 20, 2019
Raiders’ WR Antonio Brown filed a new grievance against the NFL in an attempt to be able to wear the helmet he wants, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 20, 2019
Brown’s agent Drew Rosenhaus reiterated this morning that his helmet is a big deal for Brown.
Via ESPN
He’s a wide receiver, he gets hit across the middle, people are trying to take his head off. He’s a big target — you talked about how many catches he’s had over the last six years, for example. This is his life. He’s risking everything. He’s got a family. He’s had a concussion before. This helmet has kept him safe. He’s had brutal hits and we’re just trying to find a way to work it out. … The helmet is the most important piece of equipment, and he’s had the same one every single snap he’s played in his football career. It is a major issue for him.”