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: โIโve been trying to be a Raider since day one.โ
โItโs time for me to control my own narrative,โ he wrote alongside the video. โShow the world Iโm 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: โYou are gonna p*** a lot of people off when you start doing whatโs best for you.โ
Brown continued in the caption, challenging the Raiders to release him: โAnd thatโs fine! I have worked my whole life to prove that the system is blind to see talent like mine.
โNow that everyone sees it, they want me to conform to that same system that has failed me all those years.
โโIโm not mad at anyone. Iโm just asking for the freedom to prove them all wrongโ.
โRelease me, @raiders. #NOMore #theyputblindersonahorseforareason #NoMoreFakeโ
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
He might actually be losing his mind
Waste of talent!
Belichick will be straight on the phone
@Eoin OโDonnell: he just has. AB signs with the Patriots.
@Eoin OโDonnell: good call..
CTE
@Ollie Ryan: impossible to know until death
Steeler will be even more pleased to get rid of this guy
@Tony Stack: not now they wonโt