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Former NFL star Antonio Brown allegedly made threats involving a firearm during his short-lived tenure with the Albany Empire in the National Arena League, according to ESPN.
Antonio Brown’s rollercoaster career has been marked by numerous controversies, both on and off the field.
After his departure from the NFL in 2021, Brown joined ownership the Albany Empire in the Arena League, but his time with the team was characterized by turmoil and negative press.
The Albany Empire faced a series of issues under Brown’s leadership, including coaches and players departing due to unpaid salaries and the team’s expulsion from hotels over unpaid bills .
These issues culminated in the Arena League eventually expelling the Albany Empire from the league due to unpaid dues.
Now, new allegations have now emerged regarding Brown’s behavior during his stint with the Albany Empire.
According to an investigative report by ESPN’s Anthony Olivieri and Michael A. Fletcher, Brown allegedly threatened players with a gun following a heated argument about the removal of a social media post dedicated to a former teammate who had passed away.
Albany Empire players asked the team to post a tribute to Mo Ruffins, a former Empire offensive lineman who died last year at age 38. After it was posted, the post was deleted. The players wanted to know why.
The incident reportedly unfolded at an Albany cigar lounge where players confronted Brown about the removed social media post and their inability to obtain explanations from the team’s front office.
In the midst of the confrontation, Brown allegedly made a chilling remark to one of his players, according to the ESPN report.
“AB looked at Ryan [Larkin] and was like, ‘Hey, man, you still got the AR in the car? Go get it,'” recounted wide receiver Darius Prince during an interview with ESPN. “Then I was like, I’m not going to allow this dude to walk out of here after you just threatened us… After he said that, things did calm down, and we had a conversation. But the fact is that he threatened us by telling his assistant to grab his AR.”
This alarming incident added to the growing list of controversies surrounding Antonio Brown during his brief tenure with the Albany Empire.
Since the Arena League’s decision to part ways with the Albany Empire, Antonio Brown has mostly focused on his rap career, occasionally in the headlines for legal troubles related to child support payments.
These latest allegations will undoubtedly contribute to the ongoing scrutiny of Antonio Brown’s behavior and actions, both on and off the field, as he remains a polarizing figure in the world of sports.