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Yesterday afternoon Oakland Raiders GM Mike Mayock finally put his foot down and questioned whether Antonio Brown was “all in” with the team after the mercurial wide receiver decided to
“Antonio Brown is not here today, and here’s the bottom line: He’s upset about the helmet issue. We have supported that. We appreciate that. We have, at this point, exhausted all avenues of relief. From our perspective, it’s time for him to be all-in or all-out.
“We’re hoping he is back soon. We have 89 guys busting their tails. We are really excited about where this franchise is going, and we hope AB is going to be a big part of it starting Week 1 against Denver. End of story. No questions.”
Brown tweeted the following on Aug. 12, saying: “While I disagree with the arbitrator’s decision, I’m working on getting back to full health and looking forward to rejoining my teammates on the field. I’m excited about this season appreciate all the concerns about my feet.”
GM Mike Mayock issued a statement today regarding Antonio Brown. pic.twitter.com/5ueLsrOmid
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) August 18, 2019
Brown has taken Mayock’s request to heart because he showed up to practice today.
#Raiders WR Antonio Brown is back at practice today, source said.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 19, 2019
Update: Antonio Brown was at the facility this morning and in attendance at the team meeting. The walk-through practice was canceled. But Brown is back for now. https://t.co/6gb5zFJKmO
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 19, 2019
Update: Antonio Brown was at the facility this morning and in attendance at the team meeting. The walk-through practice was canceled. But Brown is back for now. https://t.co/6gb5zFJKmO
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 19, 2019
Brown’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, downplayed the whole thing and says Brown just wants to feel safe playing with his preferred helmet.
Agent @RosenhausSports said on ESPN he thinks @AB84 is “going to be back soon. Antonio is very genuine. He wants to be there, he wants to be part of the team, he wants to practice, but he’d also like to do it with the helmet he’s worn his entire life.” #Raiders
— Vic Tafur (@VicTafur) August 19, 2019
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.”