Brown, in No. 1, practices; coach, NFL to fulfill
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Antonio Brown took half in his first observe with the New England Patriots on Wednesday afternoon, a day after his former coach filed a civil lawsuit within the Southern District of Florida accusing him of sexually assaulting her on three events.
Brown, who has worn No. 84 all through his NFL profession, was sporting No. 1, his non permanent quantity, at observe.
Coach Invoice Belichick declined to touch upon extra questions on Brown earlier than the observe, together with his standing for Sunday’s recreation at Miami. Throughout his transient information convention, Belichick repeatedly stated, “We’re engaged on Miami.”
Requested about Brown after observe, Patriots gamers largely declined to discuss the scenario.
“No,” Tom Brady answered when requested if he had any remark.
Added group captain Matthew Slater: “I definitely do not wanna decrease the seriousness of a scenario like this. Very delicate method, and do not wanna decrease it in any respect. However that being stated, I definitely do not assume that I needs to be talking on it, or I am certified to talk on it, as a result of I haven’t got any information of the scenario.”
Within the lawsuit, a duplicate of which was reviewed by ESPN, Brown’s former coach, Britney Taylor, accuses the newly signed Patriots receiver of sexually assaulting her on three separate events, in 2017 (whereas within the Pittsburgh space) and 2018 (twice within the Miami space).
Taylor is prepared and planning to fulfill with the NFL subsequent week. She is getting married and may’t meet earlier than then, sources inform ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Ed Griffith, the general public data officer for the Miami-Dade State Legal professional’s Workplace, stated in a press release that “having reviewed our information, we discovered no prior police investigative contacts concerning these allegations or these people.
“We will likely be reaching out to the pertinent police companies to find out if that they had any prior contacts or investigations. If such police investigations exist, we will surely be curious about these experiences and any associated proof gathered,” he stated.
The Allegheny County (Pennsylvania) District Legal professional’s Workplace advised ESPN that “as a matter after all” it evaluations “data in a federal lawsuit every time that data references potential legal exercise, even when that exercise had not been beforehand recognized to regulation enforcement.”
Belichick deferred to the Patriots’ assertion late Tuesday, which stated they have been conscious of the lawsuit and “take these allegations very severely.”
“On Antonio’s scenario, each Antonio and his representatives have made statements, so I am not going to be increasing on any of these. They’re what they’re. We have appeared into the scenario. We’re taking it very severely, all over the group. I am positive there are questions, however I am not going to be getting into a dialogue about that at present,” he stated.
Antonio Brown was on the observe subject Wednesday for the Patriots in a short lived No. 1 jersey. AP Picture/Steven Senne
Brown has denied the allegations. Darren Heitner, a lawyer representing Brown, stated his shopper plans to countersue.
Drew Rosenhaus, Brown’s agent, advised ESPN on Wednesday that he and his shopper have been “anticipating this risk” lawsuit can be filed, however he declined to say whether or not the Patriots knew of the looming lawsuit earlier than signing Brown.
Rosenhaus stated he has been in touch with the NFL Gamers Affiliation, which has spoken to the NFL.
“What I wish to emphasize to everyone is, please permit the scenario to play itself out. Antonio will cooperate. He’ll cooperate with the Patriots, with the NFL, with any investigation, with the NFLPA; and in time, Antonio will likely be cleared,” he stated.
The NFL has declined to remark however started its investigation into the matter on Wednesday, ESPN’s Dan Graziano experiences.
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ESPN authorized analyst Ryan Smith breaks down the authorized course of for a case just like the sexual assault lawsuit that has been filed in opposition to Antonio Brown.
The lawsuit caught the Patriots unexpectedly, sources advised Schefter, and the group should resolve the way to proceed with Brown. One risk is that Roger Goodell will place Brown on the commissioner’s exempt record, sources stated, which might imply Brown won’t be counted on the Patriots’ lively record whereas the league investigates the allegations.
Brown was initially traded from Pittsburgh to Oakland within the offseason. However a weird foot harm, fights with the NFL over his helmet, skipped practices, a number of fines, a run-in with Raiders basic supervisor Mike Mayock and inflammatory social media posts in the end led to the choice to launch Brown.
He agreed to a cope with the defending Tremendous Bowl champions hours after the Raiders granted his request and let him go.
ESPN’s Mike Reiss and Jeremy Fowler and The Related Press contributed to this report.