Antonio Brown has been released for the second time this season.
The New England Patriots let go of the seven-time Pro Bowl receiver Friday following allegations of rape and sexual assault. Brown broke the news on Twitter
The Patriots issued an official statement about the move: “The New England Patriots are releasing Antonio Brown. We appreciate the hard work of many people over the past 11 days, but we feel that it is best to move in a different direction at this time.”
Britney Taylor—Brown's former trainer—filed a federal lawsuit in the Southern District of Florida on Sept. 11 that said Brown sexually assaulted her in three separate instances, according to Ben Shpigel of the New York Times.
The 31-year-old officially signed with the Patriots after the team's Week 1 game following his surprise release from the Oakland Raiders.
He stirred up significant controversy during his brief time in Oakland, missing practice time because of a helmet grievance and a foot injury. After receiving a fine from the team, Brown confronted general manager Mike Mayock in a "screaming match" in front of teammates, per Rapoport.
The Raiders fined him and voided his guarantees, eventually leading to his release less than sixth months after being traded by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
New England was there to scoop him up, signing Brown to an incentive-laden contract that could make him up to $15 million in 2019, plus a $20 million option for 2020.
Despite Brown's impact on the field, the Patriots have joined the Raiders and Steelers in deciding his talent is not worth the off-field negatives.
Brown could still draw interest in the open market after being named first-team All-Pro four times and leading the NFL in touchdowns last year, but the number of potential suitors has likely dwindled over the past few weeks.
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