The continuing Antonio Brown saga never sleeps.
Roughly 12 hours removed from releasing a video on YouTube of a conversation between himself and Oakland Raiders coach Jon Gruden, Brown posted a message on Instagram that most notably included the line, "Release me @raiders."
It begins with a post: "You are gonna piss a lot of people off when you start doing what's best for you."
Brown's comment on the post then reads: "And that's fine! I have worked my whole life to prove that the system is blind to see talent like mines. 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."
Brown has been fined $215,073 due to contract detrimental to the team stemming from Wednesday's incident with general manager Mike Mayock, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero and NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport confirmed. Pelissero reported the fine was one of two letters sent from the Raiders to Brown, with another coming from Mayock, which notified A.B. that if he was released he would not be eligible for termination pay.
The conduct fine voids the guarantees in Brown's contract, Pelissero added. Brown received a contract increase when the Raiders sent two draft picks to Pittsburgh for him, but Oakland has yet to pay the wideout. Most of the 2019 compensation is in a $14.625 million base salary that is now in jeopardy, Pelissero reported.
If the Raiders do release Brown, "they believe they already have license to void his $30 million in guaranteed money from his failure to practice and other infractions. They believe they can move on," Rapoport reported.
NFL Network's David Carr, the older brother of Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, said he spoke to Derek and was told, "They have no choice, but to move on and get ready to play Monday as if [Brown] is not on the team."
To say things have escalated quickly would be an understatement.
On Wednesday, Brown and Mayock had an incident during practice as a result of Mayock issuing fines to the receiver and Brown posting the fines letter on Instagram along with words of his disapproval.
By Friday, Brown had apologized to his teammates, made a short statement to the media and was once again factored into the team's plan for Monday against the Broncos.
What comes next, the NFL world will have to wait and see.
