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Antonio Brown’s status for Week 2, his first potential game as a member of the New England Patriots, remains up in the air. Brown has been accused of sexually assaulting his former trainer in a lawsuit filed on Tuesday in the Southern District of Florida.
After an offseason which Brown spent with the Oakland Raiders, multiple issues resulted in the team opting to release him prior to Week 1. After signing with the Patriots shortly after, his status for Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins could depend on whether he’s placed on the commissioner’s exempt list.
Patriots coach Bill Belichick held a press conference on Wednesday, which comes just hours after the team released a statement on the allegations against Brown.
Patriots Statement on Antonio Brown & Week 2 Status
The Patriots addressed the allegations, as NFL reporter Dov Kleiman revealed, but would not give any further comment aside from the following:
“We are aware of the civil lawsuit that was filed earlier today against Antonio Brown, as well as the response by Antonio’s representatives. We take these allegations very seriously. Under no circumstances does this organization condone sexual violence or assault. The league has informed us that they will be investigating. We will have no further comment while that investigation takes place.”
Belichick’s press conference did not provide much in terms of additional information on Brown’s Week 2 status for the Patriots but did state that the receiver will practice on Wednesday. He addressed Brown but refused to expand on the situation, as the Patriots revealed on Twitter.
Bill Belichick Live Press Conference: t.co/XkfCGlCGcb
“On Antonio’s situation, both Antonio and his representatives have made a statement, so I’m not going to be expanding on any oft hose, they are what they are. We’ve looked into the situation, we’re taking it very seriously, all the way through the organization. I’m sure there are questions, but I”m not going to be entering into a discussion about that today.” Belichick said.
Shortly after Belichick’s press conference, Brown’s agent Drew Rosenhaus went on SportsCenter to talk about his client’s status.
“I wouldn’t be doing this interview if I didn’t believe Antonio,” Rosehaus said. “These allegations are false. He denies everyone of them. I’m very confident his legal team has facts that will prove this.”
Rosenhaus continued: “I’ll repeat this. This is a money grab. I believe this: this is a money grab.”
Shortly after, Belichick was asked if the team is preparing for Brown to play on Sunday to which he stated that they’re “taking it one day at a time, just like we always do.”
Antonio Brown Reportedly May Go on Exempt List
After Adam Schefter reported that the Patriots were caught off guard by the allegations, he expanded to explain that Brown may be placed on the commissioner’s exempt list.
The Patriots were caught by surprise, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter, and the team will have to decide how to proceed with Brown, who was scheduled for his first practice with New England on Wednesday. One possibility is that Roger Goodell will place Brown on the commissioner’s exempt list, sources said, which would mean Brown will not be counted on the Patriots’ active list while the league investigates the allegations.
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