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: “I’ve been trying to be a Raider since day one.”
“It’s time for me to control my own narrative,” he wrote alongside the video. “Show the world I’m not the bad guy.”
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: “You are gonna p*** a lot of people off when you start doing what’s best for you.”
Brown continued in the caption, challenging the Raiders to release him: “And that’s fine! I have worked my whole life to prove that the system is blind to see talent like mine.
“Now that everyone sees it, they want me to conform to that same system that has failed me all those years.
“‘I’m not mad at anyone. I’m just asking for the freedom to prove them all wrong’.
“Release me, @raiders. #NOMore #theyputblindersonahorseforareason #NoMoreFake”
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Only fair…connacht had only 1 fit lock last week between international call ups and injuries and got no help from IRFU..but when its munster its a different story…double standards
@jay bernard: bit of patience
@Jim Demps: Not really Jim, this lad signed in a matter of days once Kilcoyne is out, Connacht still waiting on a second row.
@jay bernard: there’s a difference between a prop and a second row. Most blindsides and no 8′s have at sometime played secondrow, where as the frontrow is different. Slotting into the secondrow is not too difficult and when a secondrow gets a yellow card one of the backrow just jumps in. Can’t do that at prop.
@jay bernard: would like to see Jack Dunne sent out West for a couple of months
@Paddy Kennedy: https://twitter.com/murray_kinsella/status/1322167460615905280?s=21
@jay bernard: surely this is a deal between Munster and Ulster. Munster get cover, and an Ulster prospect possibly gets some gametime. Why the assumption that the IRFU is in some way blocking Connacht? Maybe they didn’t go looking for a lock from the other provinces, or they consider those available not better than what they have
@Jim Demps: Sweet vindication! Fair play Jim.
@SomeGuy: Munster get a player from a different province while Connacht have to get one from an AIL side? How’s that the same
@Jim Demps: thank you Jim
I think both Ulster and Connacht are treated worse than both Leinster and Munster in general. Remember the time Pat Lam wanted to use his son as short term fh cover because they had a load of injuries and the IRFU refused it. He was playing AIL for a club in Connacht at the time as well. It made no sense.
@Rudiger McMonihan: that was a visa issue wasn’t it? He couldn’t go from being on a holiday visa and playing rugby for free to being in a paid environment as it would have been in breech of his visa conditions. Think Lam tried to play it out publicly to force it through but the union rightfully held tough.
@jay bernard: Cormac Daly???
Hopefully benefit for both parties. Great opportunity for the lad to see another pro set up and work with world class coaching set up.
@Bryan Russell: He already works in a World Class coaching set up.
@Ian Frizzell: It’ll still be good for him, Ian. Like when a young David Beckham spent a few months with Preston North End.
@Bryan Russell: he’s going to munster so not sure of the world class coaching set up. I’d say he’s got a better set up at ulster
@Ian Frizzell: keep your hair on, Ulster has fantastic coach’s and set up. This is a great opportunity to suck and see somewhere else not get somewhere better.
@Chris Mc: they’re both very good set ups. In what way is Ulsters any better?
@Bryan Russell: yes potentially a great opportunity to get some first team game time quicker, and also to catch up with some of his U20 Grand Slam mates again – something which is difficult these days. Hopefully it all goes well for him…
@Chris Mc: Rowntree was England’s forwards coach for 8 years and was forwards coach for the Loins for two tours but, as always, you choose to ignore this due to your anti-Munster stance. Add in the fact he played in the same position so it will be of huge benefit to Reid
@Munsterman: I think the player will benifit from different coaching and Munsters set up is very good. I think that Ulsters is better as there are not any question marks about McF being the right person for the job, whereas at Munster there are about Van Graan.
@Munsterman: ulster play a far more expansive game, bring through more young players and this coaching set up took a team in turmoil and turned them into a force in Europe and finalists in the league. Apart from this international window we have seen none of the above.
@John Buckley: easterby is the Ireland forwards coach and I wouldnt give him the junior 3 job at Colmine. What had this coaching set up done for munster. 10 seasons of going sideways
Let’s look beyond the interprovincial bunfight that these stories often become and ask the question why are their so many injuries at Munster these days? Is it down to the style of training, the style of play, sub-par S&C? Seems like you could make a full Pro-14 standard matchday 23 out their injuries at the moment
@Del McG: slot of props are getting injuries at the moment, Muster had to bring in Reid and Leinster had to bring in Parker. Connacht are light on second rows, it’s just the nature of the game especially after a long lay off due to Covid
@Patrick O Connell: Leinster only had to bring in Parker because Aungier & Salanoa left, leaving them short in the tighthead position during the international window. Furlong is the only injury in the Leinster front row ranks.
@Del McG: Parker is in because of Furlongs injury, Roman and Aungier stated over 6 months ago they were leaving. Leinster were happy to go into the season with Furlong Bent Clarkson .
@Patrick O Connell: also add in Abadalaze who in also a tight head in the Leinster squad
Good