Follow Us
Helmetgate continues. After the NFL declined Antonio Brown’s 2014 Schutt AiR Advantage helmet made in 2014, the Oakland Raiders wide receiver is filing another grievance against the league, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Raiders’ WR Antonio Brown filed a new grievance against the NFL in an attempt to be able to wear the helmet he wants, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 20, 2019
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport shed some light on why Brown is filling the grievance. Rapoport said, via Twitter:
“[He’s] arguing that he should be afforded the same right provided to other NFL players to have a 1-year grace period to phase out his helmet in 2019 season. He claims the NFL is arbitrarily applying rules.”
Rapoport notes that “the expectation is that it will be heard by an arbitrator on an expedited basis.”
On Sunday, Raiders general manager Mike Mayock gave Brown an ultimatum: “He’s either all in or all out.” On Monday, Brown’s agent Drew Rosenhaus said:
“We’ve worked very closely with the Raiders, and we will continue to work very closely with the Raiders. “I’m not sure that we agree that we’ve exhausted all the options, as Mike Mayock said. But there’s no doubt it’s still an ongoing process.
“We are trying to work with the team and the league and the union to come up with a solution. We haven’t figured it out yet. To say that AB is upset about the decision to not let him wear his helmet is accurate, but we’re still processing it and figuring it out. I wouldn’t make too much about him not being there today, as much as we’re still trying to come up with a solution that works for everyone.”
Earlier on Monday, it was reported that Brown is back in practice, potentially meaning the end of a lengthy saga deserving of an ESPN “30-for-30.” Yet, that’s far from the truth.