Oakland Raiders need to end sad Antonio Brown saga immediately
By Brad Weiss
The Oakland Raiders have done everything to help Antonio Brown this summer, but it is time for them to end this sorry time in the franchise.
After a whirlwind week, that has seen Antonio Brown tell off Oakland Raiders general manager Mike Mayock, and then be brought back with open arms, it is time to end this saga immediately. On Saturday, a day after posting a cryptic video to YouTube, Brown asked the Raiders for his release in an Instagram post, and the team should oblige.
Look, this is a long time coming, as many players would have been cut after screaming at the general manager after being fined. Brown sought out Mayock, who tried to walk away, but things escalated, and Brown had to be restrained by teammates.
On Friday, all was all well in Raider Nation, as Brown apologized to the team, and then made a half-hearted apology to the organization and the fans. Friday night, he posted the video, and on Saturday, things got really out of control.
The Raiders fined him for conduct detrimental to the team, and in doing so, voided his guaranteed money. Here is what Adam Schefter of ESPN tweeted out on Saturday.
In addition to fining Antonio Brown $215,073.53 for conduct detrimental to the team that voided $29.125 million worth of guaranteed money in his contract, the Raiders sent Brown a letter that he no longer will be entitled to termination pay if they release him, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 7, 2019
In an email to Jeff Darlington of ESPN, Brown stated the team took away his money, and there is no way he would play on a week-to-week contract.
I just got an email from Antonio Brown. He tells me the team “took away my guarantees.” He added there’s “no way I play after they took that and made my contract week to week.” So at this moment, once again, don’t expect AB to play on Monday Night Football.
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) September 7, 2019
So there it is, the Raiders have voided the guaranteed money, and now can do whatever they want with Brown. They have done nothing but stand beside him through the foot issues, the helmet issues, and even when he went after the general manager.
It is time to say goodbye.
Look, I have been a Raiders fan since I was five years old, so I know what a talent like Brown could mean to this organization. However, Mayock and Jon Gruden are trying to change the culture with this franchise, and having a guy like Brown around is just not good for the young players.
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The bottom line is, the Raiders are off the hook if they cut Brown, who had the potential to be one of the better wideouts in team history. This is a franchise that has done everything to help him since bringing him aboard early in the offseason, but it seems like he has burnt his last bridge in Oakland.