For many reasons, there’s no telling how long Antonio Brown‘s run with the Patriots will last. But, if things go well, the Patriots will have the option to keep the wide receiver through the 2020 season, Mike Florio of PFT (on Twitter) hears. 
[RELATED: Patriots, Antonio Brown Agree To Deal]
It was initially reported that Brown’s deal would be worth “up to” $15MM with $10MM guaranteed in total. As it turns out, Brown’s deal also includes a $20MM option for the 2020 campaign. The option serves two purposes. First, the obvious – the Patriots can keep the partnership for another year, if they choose to do so. Secondly, the additional year will help with cap proration for 2019, giving them extra flexibility this year.
It’s a potentially big win for Brown, as well. If he hits on his incentives this year and cashes in for $20MM next year, he’ll reel in even more than the ~$30MM guarantee that he was set to collect from Oakland. There’s also still an outside chance that he can walk away with some of that guaranteed cash from the Raiders, even though he never played a down of real football for them.
(re-post: accidentally posted on an older AB thread)
I’ve intentionally stayed away from this allegation but can’t help pointing out one factor that seems to be overwhelmingly disregarded: he used the language of his contract.
There’s absolutely nothing illegal in what he’s alleged to have to done “to get out” of his contract with Oakland.
Also, when considering the history of NFL contracts in addition to its concern/interest in players after their careers end … two major factors contributing to the recent increase in demands for guaranteed money, not reporting, and sitting out … the taking an “ethical/moral” opposition is an even deeper & darker rabbit hole.
There are lawyers who’s sole purpose is to write iron-clad contracts and there are just as many to find loopholes/exit routes in those contracts.
Like a lot of repeatedly pointed out, PA was not going to trade AB to NE.
He got his wish to leave PA then got out of his new contract to be able to choose for himself where he would play next.
Until the (highly doubtful) smoking gun appears proving communication between AB and NE at any point before his official release by Oakland … then this all boils down to AB using “The System” to his advantage.
Call it unethical but it’s legal and … as far as I know … unprecedented in the NFL.
… but if you must blame someone, blame LeBron for starting the unthinkable “I’m going to play where I want to play”
imagine that lol
ps: don’t take this as a troll or insult; completely & only my opinion
Blame LeBron? Damn, LeBron haters are now blaming football BS on LeBron too? Unreal lol
I blame LeBron too, he’s a F***in’ DBag that ruined the NBA with his “super” teams.
Actually the first super team was the Celtics of Ray Allen, Garnett, and Pierce. Then Shaq, Kobe, Malone, and GP. LeBron is a scapegoat. Keep hating I guess.
I would disagree with the shaq kobe malone and payton while shaq and kobe were still in their prime for the most part malone and payton were not and i think that both that was their last hurray and basically trying for best chance at ring before retirement.
Allen Garnett and Pierce were more on the downside of their careers and not in their primes as well so were not really seen as a superteam. I do agree they set the ground work of it though and lebron took it to another level with gathering people in their prime.
Even though the Celtics had the first big 3 in this era? KG, Pierce, and Ray Allen was the first big 3, and the Heat big 3 was assembled to beat them. In Cleveland, he went back to a team who was in the lottery the previous year. They already had Kyrie, and traded 2 #1 picks for Kevin Love (given it was Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett but that’s besides the point). All the hate goes to LeBron but not KD? He left a team that almost went to the Finals to go to the team they lost to who went 73-9.
I think you missed my sarcasm about blaming LeBron
You ruled out sarcasm when you said don’t take this as a troll or insult. If you wanted it to be taken as sarcasm why would you present it as your true opinion?
Chances are high that Rosenhaus had already communicated with NE in some fashion before Brown was officially released. Yes, this is against the CBA. And it happens all the time, particularly with so many of the big time free agents every year. Their reps are talking with teams before the official start of free agency. How do you think that first wave of deals happen so quickly? Just because it happens, doesn’t mean it’s “right” per se, this isn’t a relativistic excuse of prohibited behavior; but, if you’re hating the way that NE acquired Brown, remember that your favorite team has almost certainly employed the same tactics at some point, if not regularly.
I don’t even like the Pats, but in this case they acted the way most teams do. It’s difficult to police, and even if the league wanted to crack down on something like this… well, they don’t want to.
The thing is the league will if team effected complains. The patriots have done this multiple times and its funny they will do it themselves without hesitation. They just filed one this past offseason for not even a player but a front office guy that wanted to leave, but forced him to stay.
He can land more than the $30 from Oakland if all goes well? Holy smokes. I might change my tune to this being premeditated
Absolutely nothing against the rules were done to the haters chagrin
The league has announced there’s no investigation
Antonio Brown may not have broken league rules, but Brown has broken the law: illegally recording a phone conversation, which carries a one year jail sentence. He’s also broken contract law by agreeing to a contract in bad faith, costing the Raiders and third and fifth draft pick.
If I were the Raiders, I’d send AB first to jail and then sue AB for compensation for those draft picks, with the Patriots as co-defendant. Based on the Brock Oswell trade between Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns in March 2017, the value of those picks is about $20 million.
I would have absolutely zero mercy with this flimflam artist, extortionist and clown. If AB did this because he’s mentally unstable, he belongs in a mental institution and not in the NFL and not in a Patriots uniform.
Frankly I’m disgusted enough here by the behaviour of Antonio Brown and the Patriots, I’ll probably skip the entire season. I don’t expect I’m alone with having had enough of the National Felons League, now that the owners and managers collude in unethical and illegal behaviour. Football is supposed to be a game, played by the rules, not an example of how to best cheat your employer and your teammates.
Behavior*******
I’m Irish. That’s how we spell it. Tough luck if you don’t like it and cn 0ly spk Mrcan.
But Jon Gruden already said the video AB made was awesome, now he’s going to sue?
They aren’t Jon Gruden’s personal draft picks, he’s making his $100 million for acting like a guidance counsellor reality TV high school coach, maybe he won’t pursue it. I can tell you if Al Davis were still alive, Antonio Brown would be serving prison time.
The Patriots would refuse to play the Raiders as Davis would have Tom Brady torn limb from limb, regardless of penalties and suspension.
Prison time. Lol. Funny. You dont do prison time in california for less than a violent felony. The guy may be a scumbag but hes broken no laws
Ironman actually he broke Cal Penal Code 632
“A person who, intentionally and without the consent of all parties to a confidential communication, uses an electronic amplifying or recording device to eavesdrop upon or record the confidential communication, whether the communication is carried on among the parties in the presence of one another or by means of a telegraph, telephone, or other device,”
and he “could” be punished
“by a fine not exceeding two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) per violation, or imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or in the state prison, or by both that fine and imprisonment”
link to codes.findlaw.com
He had his consent though so its all moot. Anyway, if you get this worked up over something so inconsequential as AB’s behavior you should probably reprioritize things.
I guess it’s just a minor detail that the recording was done with Grudens permission?
Burtgummer he consented? I have yet to see him saying that.
nm just saw the report here. Guess it came in while i was typing response so then he did not break any laws.
Yeah I posted like immediately after I saw it
You have the word of AB’s social media producer that Jon Gruden consented? Think again. Until Gruden says that he consented to that recording or AB produces the entire phone call with consent before the conversation, AB broke the law.
Your an idiot, always some fool spinning it around and blaming the Patriots. Tell your mom you need your diaper changed. You obviously keep pooping yourself
It could be the most legitimate FA signing in NFL history, and Patriot haters would still try to stir up a controversy.
I doubt it went that far that the patriots colluded all along but it was certainly despicable and a new low for AB and Drew Rosenhaus. If I were the raiders I’d steer clear of DR players for the time being since he was complicit in this.
Allegedly!! That’s ignorant…
I am believe there was some collusion between the two but whether you can prove it is a whole other story. I mean he signed within hours of being released and i think they didnt want to make it that obvious. Whether this was done way back with the steelers or when he was with the raiders there is definitely some back handed deals going on.
It is basically what farve did with the packers when he wanted out and be with the vikings except he stayed a year with the jets in between. Brown didnt want to even do that.
I dont agree with the way he did it and hope he gets punished for it, but you have to give the guy some kind of credit as he figured out a way to get what he wanted and still got a nice chunk of change doing it.
Hopefully they decide to suspend him for the stuff he said and did to the raiders gm. I mean owners were forced to give up the team in other sports for saying a racist thing in private conversations, this guy should get atleast half a season for threatening and using the racial slurs against gm if not longer.
Do you seriously believe that this guy is smart enough to execute this absurd conspiracy theory, which was somehow put into motion 6 months ago? Also, it was noted that 2 other teams were in on AB after he was released. I guess they were part of this conspiracy theory also?
People need to start using their brains instead of immediately assuming that the team that they hate did something wrong.
We can now only hope/wish that he tears an ACL next weekend.
That’s pretty messed up