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Brown: dispute with the Raiders. Jeff Chiu

Antonio Brown released as Raiders void $30m contract ahead of season opener

Brown is now a free agent.

ANTONIO BROWN HAS been released by the Oakland Raiders two days before their opening game of the new NFL season.

Brown publicly called on the Raiders to release him as his high-profile dispute with the team continued, and Oakland confirmed his release on Saturday.

The star wide receiver signed a $50 million three-year deal to join the Raiders, with $30m of that money guaranteed.

ESPN report that Brown was fined over $215,000 for conduct detrimental to the team, which also allowed the Raiders to void the guarantee in his contract and release him.

Brown has been at the centre of controversy including a holdout due to a dispute with the NFL over helmet regulations, and was fined over $50,000 for missing mandatory practices and walk-throughs. 

The former Pittsburgh Steelers star was then reportedly facing a ban following a confrontation with Raiders general manager Mike Mayock, before he issued an apology and returned to training on Friday.

But Brown later posted this video that appeared to include clips of a conversation with head coach Jon Gruden in which he says: โ€œIโ€™ve been trying to be a Raider since day one.โ€

Antonio Brown / YouTube

โ€œItโ€™s time for me to control my own narrative,โ€ he wrote alongside the video. โ€œShow the world Iโ€™m not the bad guy.โ€

But this was followed by an Instagram post from Brown on Saturday that suggested his relationship with Oakland had soured once more.

He posted a quote: โ€œYou are gonna p*** a lot of people off when you start doing whatโ€™s best for you.โ€

Brown continued in the caption, challenging the Raiders to release him: โ€œAnd thatโ€™s fine! I have worked my whole life to prove that the system is blind to see talent like mine.

โ€œNow that everyone sees it, they want me to conform to that same system that has failed me all those years.

โ€œโ€˜Iโ€™m not mad at anyone. Iโ€™m just asking for the freedom to prove them all wrongโ€™.

โ€œRelease me, @raiders. #NOMore #theyputblindersonahorseforareason #NoMoreFakeโ€

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    Mute Gary
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    Sep 7th 2019, 7:17 PM

    He might actually be losing his mind

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    Mute T Dawg
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    Sep 7th 2019, 6:58 PM

    Waste of talent!

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    Mute Eoin O'Donnell
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    Sep 7th 2019, 7:54 PM

    Belichick will be straight on the phone

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    Mute John Paul
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    Sep 7th 2019, 10:19 PM

    @Eoin Oโ€™Donnell: he just has. AB signs with the Patriots.

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    Mute Gary Donlan
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    Sep 7th 2019, 11:05 PM

    @Eoin Oโ€™Donnell: good call..

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    Mute Ollie Ryan
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    Sep 7th 2019, 8:27 PM

    CTE

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    Mute Colm Connolly
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    Sep 7th 2019, 8:59 PM

    @Ollie Ryan: impossible to know until death

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    Mute Tony Stack
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    Sep 7th 2019, 9:05 PM

    Steeler will be even more pleased to get rid of this guy

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    Mute Derek Durkin
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    Sep 7th 2019, 11:16 PM

    @Tony Stack: not now they wonโ€™t

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