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Patriots Release Antonio Brown Amid Rape Allegations and Texting Accuser, Provide No Reason Why

By Russ Joy

Published: Sep 20th, 2019 · 5:12 PM EDT

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The Antonio Brown Era has come to an end just eleven days after it began. The New England Patriots have released the embattled wide receiver per the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport:

The #Patriots have released WR Antonio Brown, as he indicated on Twitter. They have moved on.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 20, 2019

This comes less than a day after a Sports Illustrated source was sent “menacing group text messages, including a picture of her children with instructions for his associates to investigate her:

New tonight: Antonio Brown sent our source from Monday’s story menacing group text messages, including a picture of her children with instructions for his associates to investigate her.

Her lawyer wrote the NFL calling for the intimidation to stop. https://t.co/rCTM8WSI6Z pic.twitter.com/QtONzBf7Ig

— robertklemko (@RobertKlemko) September 20, 2019

The source’s lawyer wrote a letter to the NFL demanding that Brown would cease and desist from communicating with and/or intimidating her client. Today, the attorney released the following update:

The NFL advised us that the Patriots directed Mr. Brown to have no further contact with our client, either directly or through his associates. The NFL also advised us that it contacted Mr. Brown’s representative and reiterated that Mr. Brown was to cease and desist efforts to contact or intimidate our client. The NFL has pledged to conduct a thorough investigation under its Personal Conduct Policy. We will cooperate fully with the NFL in this investigation to ensure that the threats and intimidation against our client cease, and that she and her family remain safe. As always, it is important that harassment and intimidation against victims is taken seriously, that victims have appropriate avenues for recourse, and that such behavior is not tolerated – either by an employer such as the NFL, or by society at large.

Just a few hours earlier, Patriots head coach Bill Belicheck bailed on a press conference rather than, you know, answering questions about Brown’s availability given the accusations and texts:

Bill Belichick walks out on reporters after another Antonio Brown question pic.twitter.com/qsHAIY3jQr

— SNY (@SNYtv) September 20, 2019

Reporter: Bill, do you expect to have Antonio available to you on Sunday?

Belicheck: He’s on our roster.

Reporter: Bill, another headline today focusing on Antonio Brown. Does any of this at all affect his status with the team?

Belicheck: Yeah, I think I’ve already addressed, so, we’re gonna get ready for the Jets here. Happy to answer any football questions, but the rest of it… I’m done with the rest of it.

Reporter: Was there ever a point where some off-field stuff is… enough is enough? Too much?

Belicheck: Okay, so, yeah. That’s… yeah. I’m good. Okay. Thank you.

What a true delight he is. It’s fine to want to answer football questions, but maybe, just maybe, the greatest coach in NFL history could take a stand against violence and/or address his player sending texts to an accuser of rape. Is it really that difficult? Speak in generalities if you have to, but this is nonsense.

The Patriots, for what it’s worth, released the following statement:

Statement from a #Patriots spokesperson: https://t.co/c98rNDX9QG pic.twitter.com/DAohupBLHo

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 20, 2019

Unlike when the Kansas City Chiefs acknowledged the Kareem Hunt video and his alleged dishonesty with team officials as reasons for the player’s release, the Patriots provided none. Stay classy, Bob Kraft.