The spotlight shining on Patriots receiver Antonio Brown will apparently not be dimming anytime soon.
One day after Brown made his New England debut with four catches for 56 yards and a touchdown – impressive, given that the former All-Pro signed with the team less than a week earlier following his tumultuous release from the Raiders –
Sports Illustrated released a story online on Monday, which included a second allegation of sexual misconduct in addition to a long history of off-field issues.
“Accusations range from a previously untold account of sexual misconduct, a charity auction theft, multiple domestic incidents, and a long list of unpaid debts,” SI reports. “Numerous conversations with people who have dealt with Brown, as well as reviews of court and police documents from three states, paint a disturbing picture.”
Exclusive: A range of accusations against Antonio Brown, including a previously untold account of sexual misconduct, a charity auction theft, multiple domestic incidents, and a long list of unpaid debts, paint a disturbing picture of AB's behavior https://t.co/DwiQfCFV2u pic.twitter.com/MzuGxCdVXK
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow)
September 16, 2019 The most recent accusation is from an artist Brown hired in 2017 to paint a mural on a wall in his home. While at Brown's home, the artist claims the wide receiver became flirtatious with her and at one point approached her with nothing but a hand cloth covering himself and began to have a conversation. The artist believed this to be a clear sexual come-on, according to the report.
The story also comes via interviews with “more than two dozen people who have employed, worked for, coached, or played alongside Brown—some who have taken legal action against him, and others who have not—and reviewed police and court documents from jurisdictions ranging from Miami to Pittsburgh to Oakland.”
Some of the issues within the story – such as an incident throwing furniture off his balcony in and another refusing to pay personal chef for his services – have been reported in the past. Others are newly surfaced and continue to portray Brown in an extremely poor light off on the field, even as he continues to prove himself as a playmaker on it in his first days in New England.
Brown, who has yet to speak with the media since his arrival in Foxborough, certainly remains a major storyline and potential distraction for a Patriots team that is 2-0 and well on its way to being among the best in the NFL yet again.
His initial accuser is expected to meet with the NFL on Monday as the league continues its investigation of the civil lawsuit filed last week.
“He may face consequences brought on by those who say he has mistreated and deceived them. He may not,” SI concludes. “Considering his behavior over the past three years, the only certainty is that Antonio Brown will remain in a white-hot spotlight of his own creation.”
