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There’s some more drama unfolding in Oakland regarding their new superstar wide receiver.
Antonio Brown, who is currently sidelined with extreme frostbite on his feet due to wearing improper footwear in a cryotherapy machine, has filed a grievance with the NFL because he wants to wear his preferred helmet that has been discontinued and no longer compliant with current NFL helmet policy.
Via ESPN
Oakland Raiders wide receiver Antonio Brown has filed a grievance against the NFL to be allowed to wear the helmet he prefers, not one of the helmets that league rules mandate, league sources told ESPN on Friday.
Brown is expected to have a hearing about the helmet as early as next week, and an arbitrator will decide whether he gets to wear the one he wants.
Long-standing NFL rules requiring players to wear certified helmets say he can’t. The helmet that Brown is comfortable in and has worn throughout his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers — believed to be the Schutt Air Advantage helmet, which the company has discontinued making — is no longer certified by the National Operating Committee for Standards and Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE).
Apparently Brown is threatening to no longer play football if the league doesn’t grant his request to use his old helmet.
And now this: Raiders’ WR Antonio Brown has told team officials that, unless he gets to wear his old helmet, he will not play football again, per league sources.
And more….
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 9, 2019
Antonio Brown believes the new helmet that the rules mandate he wears protrudes out and interferes with his vision as he tries to catch football. The Raiders have been sending Brown other approved helmets to try out but, at this time, he is not interested in wearing any of them.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 9, 2019
Apparently, the main reason AB isn’t in camp is because Brown is at odds with both the Raiders and the NFL over the new helmet rule policy.
Also FWIW: Antonio Brown’s recent absence from Raiders’ camp has more to do with his helmet grievance than this blistered feet, per league sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 9, 2019
Update Veteran reporter Michael Silver describes Brown’s time in Oakland as an absolute disaster.
THREAD: 1) Even before suffering bizarre injuries to his feet, Antonio Brown alarmed Raiders coaches and teammates by railing against the NFL’s enhanced enforcement of helmet regulations, a policy change which will likely force the star receiver to switch to a new model…
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) August 9, 2019
2) Brown’s vocal resistance to the mandate, both during OTAs and shortly after his arrival in Napa, Calif. for training camp, has contributed to a disconnect with the team that acquired the seven-time Pro Bowl selection via a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers last March…
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) August 9, 2019
4) Brown initially left to seek an additional medical opinion on his frostbitten feet. Before leaving, Brown pushed back for a third time against the league’s prohibition of the helmet model he has worn for his entire nine-year career…
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) August 9, 2019
5) His continued frustration surrounding the situation has created a buzz among teammates and coaches, one of whom referred to the saga as “honestly the most insane thing I have ever heard. I don’t know why it’s so important to him. It doesn’t make any sense.” …
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) August 9, 2019
18) Since joining the Raiders, Brown has frustrated his new bosses by showing up late to numerous meetings and by often appearing unfocused in them…
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) August 9, 2019
19) Brown, according to witnesses, typically glances at the screens of several tablets and his smart phone during meetings, distracting himself by engaging in activities which include perusing his bank accounts and “liking” photos on Instagram…
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) August 9, 2019