If you thought the drama surrounding Antonio Brown would subside after he was traded from the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Oakland Raiders, you were incorrect.
Wildly incorrect, in fact.
The star wide receiver – you know, the one who arrived at training camp in a hot air balloon – recently made headlines after suffering frostbite on his feet because he didn’t wear proper footwear in a cryotherapy chamber.
This has limited his time spent participating in drills with his new teammates, however his feet weren’t what caused a commotion across the football world Friday.
Instead, it was Brown’s head – or at least what protects it.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the seven-time Pro Bowler has told the Raiders that unless he’s allowed to wear the helmet he’s worn for the past decade, he won’t play football again.
The 10-year-old helmet Brown wears is no longer certified by National Operating Committee for Standards and Athletic Equipment because of its age, Schefter explained, and the NFL won’t allow players to wear non-certified protective headgear.
The team has reportedly been sending Brown certified helmets to test out but the 31-year-old hasn’t liked the results as he says the new helmets interfere with his vision.
Schefter added that Brown participated in a lengthy conference call with NFL officials Friday to argue why he should be allowed to continue wearing his old helmet. It’s unclear if this plea will amount to anything, but per Schefter, the league could make a decision as early as next week.
NFL.com columnist Mike Silver posted a 20-part Twitter thread Friday afternoon that shone a light on some previously unknown details regarding Brown, his helmet dilemma and how he’s getting on with his new team.
“Since joining the Raiders, Brown has frustrated his new bosses by showing up late to numerous meetings and by often appearing unfocused in them,” Silver wrote.
Brown has 11,207 career receiving yards and can make a claim that he is the best WR of his era.
The Raiders have their first pre-season outing Saturday against the Los Angeles Rams. It’s unclear at this time whether or not Brown will see any pre-season game action.
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