Antonio Brown: Lawbreaker Or Innocent?

Former NFL star Antonio Brown has been involved in several legal controversies over the years. In September 2019, Brown was sued by his former trainer Britney Taylor for sexual assault and rape. Brown has also faced accusations of domestic violence, sending intimidating text messages, and exposing himself to a woman in Dubai. In addition to these allegations, Brown has had several off-the-field issues, including a confrontation with the general manager of the Oakland Raiders, Mike Mayock, and an incident where he stripped off his uniform and ran off the field during a game against the New York Jets. Brown has also been suspended by the NFL for multiple games due to violations of the league's personal conduct policy and for misrepresenting his vaccination status. Most recently, Brown was arrested for allegedly failing to pay child support. While he has denied any wrongdoing in most cases, his behaviour has led to his release from multiple teams and has put his future in the NFL in doubt.

Secretly recording a conversation with his head coach, Jon Gruden

In September 2019, American football player Antonio Brown posted a video on YouTube depicting a private conversation with his head coach, Jon Gruden. Brown may have broken the law by recording the conversation without Gruden's consent.

There are 11 states in the US with two-party consent laws, which require all parties involved in a conversation to give permission for it to be recorded. California, where Brown's team, the Oakland Raiders, are based, is one of these states. The law in California states that:

> "A person who, intentionally and without the consent of all parties to a confidential communication, uses an electronic amplifying or recording device to eavesdrop upon or record the confidential communication...shall be punished by a fine not exceeding two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) per violation, or imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or in the state prison, or by both that fine and imprisonment."

It is not known whether Gruden consented to the recording, but it seems unlikely given the context of the video, which was posted amid a fine against Brown from the Raiders' general manager, Mike Mayock. Brown may have recorded the conversation to change the narrative surrounding him in the media, as he was facing multiple off-field incidents at the time.

The consequences of Brown's actions remain to be seen, but he could face criminal charges and punishment in the form of a fine and/or imprisonment.

Posting revenge porn of his ex-partner, Chelsie Kyriss, on Snapchat

In January 2023, former NFL player Antonio Brown posted a sexually explicit image of his ex-partner and mother of his children, Chelsie Kyriss, on Snapchat. The image showed Kyriss performing oral sex on Brown. Although the picture was eventually deleted from Brown's profile, it had already been circulated on other social media platforms.

Kyriss stated that she was “very well aware” of the post and that she had requested Brown keep private aspects of their relationship out of the public eye. She also reported his account and all pictures to Snapchat, but claimed that the platform allowed him to repost the image. In response to the incident, she said:

> "I am very sorry for any of your kids that follow him and used to look at him as a role model. I do not condone these actions as you are aware I have kids involved as well."

Following the incident, Brown was suspended from Snapchat for violating its policies. Sports and entertainment editor David Hookstead tweeted that Brown could be arrested for revenge porn, as Florida law states that sharing sexually explicit content without consent and with the intent to cause "substantial emotional distress" is a crime. Brown could face up to a year in prison if charged under Florida's revenge porn law.

Sexual assault allegations from his former trainer, Britney Taylor

In September 2019, Antonio Brown's former trainer, Britney Taylor, filed a lawsuit alleging that he had sexually assaulted her on three occasions. Taylor claimed that Brown exposed himself to her and raped her. The first two alleged assaults took place during training trips in June 2017, and the third incident, in which Taylor alleged that Brown raped her, occurred in Miami in May 2018.

Taylor and Brown met at Central Michigan, where Taylor was a gymnast, and they became friends and attended Bible study together. They fell out of touch for several years, reconnecting in June 2017 when Brown hired Taylor as his physical trainer.

Brown denied the allegations and later countersued Taylor, claiming that her suit was in retaliation for his decision not to invest more than $1.5 million in her gymnastics business. He also claimed that any sexual activity between them was consensual, as they had been in a romantic relationship.

The Allegheny County district attorney's office announced that Brown would not be prosecuted because Taylor's accusations were outside of the statute of limitations. However, the civil suit continued, and in April 2021, a settlement was reached between the two parties. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but in a joint statement, both parties expressed a desire to move on.

Attacking a moving truck driver

In January 2020, Antonio Brown and an accomplice were accused of attacking a moving truck driver outside Brown's home. Brown's trainer, Glenn Holt, was arrested, and a warrant for Brown's arrest was issued the next day. Brown turned himself in and was charged with felony burglary of a vehicle, misdemeanor battery, and misdemeanor criminal mischief.

In June 2020, Brown pleaded no contest to the felony battery and burglary charges and received two years of probation, 100 hours of community service, a 13-week anger management counselling program, and a psychological evaluation.

In October 2022, Brown was ordered by a Broward County jury to pay $1.2 million in damages to the moving truck driver, Anton Tumanov. The $1.2 million included $793,000 for Tumanov's past and future pain and suffering, and $407,000 for medical expenses. Brown did not show up for the hearings in the case.

Misrepresenting his vaccination status to the NFL

In December 2021, the NFL suspended Tampa Bay Buccaneers player Antonio Brown for three games for "misrepresenting his COVID vaccination status". Brown's former live-in chef alleged that the seven-time Pro Bowl receiver had obtained a fake COVID-19 vaccination card to avoid NFL protocols. According to the chef, Brown's girlfriend, model Cydney Moreau, had texted him in July 2021, saying that Brown was willing to pay $500 for a Johnson & Johnson vaccination card.

Brown's lawyer, Sean Burstyn, maintained that Brown was "vaccinated and continues to support the vaccine". He added that Brown would treat his ankle injury during his suspension and that he would be "motivated, well rested, and in the best shape of his life when he returns in week 16". Brown accepted his discipline and did not appeal the fine.

The NFL and the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) jointly emphasised the importance of strict adherence to COVID protocols, stating that "the health and safety of players and personnel is our top priority".

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