Getty Image
Antonio Brown’s time in New England is over and it seems like the team is getting ready to put up a legal fight to not pay him his signing bonus.
Last week, Brown was hit with a sexual assault lawsuit by his former trainer Britney Taylor. Brown’s agent Drew Rosenhaus then went on ESPN and said that they were “anticipating” the lawsuit and that the allegations were false.
Drew @RosenhausSports on ESPN on Brown: "Antonio and I have been unfortunately anticipating this possibility. Antonio takes these allegations very seriously. … These allegations are false."
— Christopher Price (@cpriceglobe) September 11, 2019
Drew Rosenhaus on AB lawsuit: "We were unfortunately anticipating this possibility". If DR/AB knew and withheld that info from Pats, the team could try to argue that such a withholding constitutes a material misrepresentation at time of signing thereby negating $9M signing bonus
— Eric Macramalla (@EricMacramalla) September 12, 2019
"I wouldn't be doing this interview if I didn't believe Antonio. These allegations are false. He denies every one of them."
—Drew Rosenhaus on the accusations against his client, Antonio Brown pic.twitter.com/CXUHb8ySUj
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 11, 2019
The Patriots claim they were unaware of the impending lawsuit and wouldn’t have signed him if they had known about it beforehand.
Via NFL.com
Sources have said that neither the Patriots, nor the NFL, knew of the coming charges against Brown prior to his signing in New England. Had the team known, one person familiar with the situation said, owner Robert Kraft would not have signed off on the signing.
Today the Patriots decided to cut AB just days before he was set to be paid $5 million of his $9 million signing bonus.
https://twitter.com/RealTannenbaum/status/1175146494707544065
The #Patriots gave Antonio Brown a $9M signing bonus on his 1-year deal — but it wasn’t all due at signing, and there’s usually forfeiture language. As one NFL exec told me: “I don’t think he has any money yet so at least they can hold it while they fight about it.”
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 20, 2019
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler one league source believes that Brown will have to file a grievance to recoup the money but that it’s likely “gone”.
Antonio Brown likely forfeits $9M signing bonus from Patriots b/c of a contract clause calling for players to disclose situations preventing availability, per league source. This could lead to a grievance, but source says that money is 'gone.' Brown was due $5M Monday
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) September 20, 2019
Patriots could end up paying Antonio Brown for no more than two weeks of prorated base salaries (off a $1M total). Signing bonus was payable next week. If he doesnt get it, NFLPA would likely file grievance, but there is a real chance he walks away with next to nothing
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) September 20, 2019
If Antonio Brown does not wind up receiving his $9M signing bonus from the Patriots (the first $5M was due to be paid on Monday), he will go from a $30M guarantee in March to $9M guaranteed to just $158,333 made for 2019.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) September 20, 2019
We’ll see what happens but the legal fight for AB’s signing bonus could drag out for some time.