Much like a middle school girl, former Pittsburgh Steelers superstar, Antonio Brown just can't keep himself out of the drama. Now he is in the news again and is possibly facing another lawsuit in relation to his National Arena League team, the Albany Empire.
Griffin Haas, WTEN
Owner of the Albany Empire, Antonio Brown, addresses the media.
Brown was the steal of the 2010 NFL Draft, being selected in the sixth round by Pittsburgh. He was the kind of player who made an immediate impact. During his second season in the NFL, he became the first player to have more than 1,000 yards receiving and returning in the same season. That earned him a Pro Bowl selection in 2012.
Brown didn't stop there. In 2013, he really showed the world just what he could do. He set a record for being the only receiver to have five receptions and a minimum of 50 yards in every game of the season. Brown didn't just have the natural physical talent, he had the work ethic to go along with it, which earned him respect from fans and teammates.
He seemed to improve every single season, leading the league in receptions and yardage. Unfortunately, cracks were beginning to show. Brown became increasingly disgruntled and ultimately requested a trade. While there were some signs of his erratic behavior during his time in black and gold, no one was prepared for what would come.
Some say that Brown is suffering from CTE caused by blows to the head (which isn't technically diagnosable until after death), including a vicious hit from Vontaze Burfict. Others say that the Steelers staff, particularly Head Coach Mike Tomlin, was able to keep Brown in line and once he left the Steel City, he couldn't maintain that behavior. Regardless of the reason, Brown's actions spiraled out of control, culminating with him running up and down the sideline of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers-New York Jets game in 2022 with his shirt off.
ESPN
Antonio Brown strips off his uniform and leaves the field in dramatic fashion after a disagreement during a Tampa Bay-New York game at MetLife Stadium.
Many thought that Brown would ride off into some kind of eclectic sunset after leaving the Steelers, but he did not go quietly. In March of 2023, Brown bought the majority share of the Empire, his father's former team and the drama has ramped up again.
Steelers' Antonio Brown Is Facing A Potential Lawsuit
According to NEWS10 reporter Griffin Haas, the former Empire interim coach, Moe Leggett, told him that players are threatening legal action. Leggett told Hass that the entire staff - coaches and players - had their final game check pulled from their bank accounts after depositing them.
"Frustration, anger, disbelief, shock, you name it. It is a very unfortunate situation that we're being put in. We just want to put it behind us. Just pay what the guys are owed and we'll just move on. No hard feelings. But you're playing with people's livelihoods," said Leggett.
This news comes close on the heels of Brown and the Empire being kicked out of the league for failing to pay league dues. The boot from the league seemed to be the culmination of non-stop problems and complaints about Brown and his disrespect to the league and the players.
According to Leggett, the players and staff had their accounts set up ahead of time to receive the checks via automatic deposit after the recent game against Orlando. Leggett told Haas that he was awakened by a player who texted him a screenshot from a player of the check reversal. That prompted Leggett to check his own account where he discovered the money was gone.
Getty Images
Former Steelers WR Antonio Brown now owns the Arena team, Albany Empire.
Haas also reported that multiple players and the offensive coordinator had not signed up for the direct deposit system, through the Paychex system, and they did not get paid at all.
Numerous players and staff members, including Leggett, have been trying to reach Brown as well as his accountant, Alex Gunaris, but have not been able to connect with either. Haas also noted that he attempted to call Gunaris and had not gotten a callback.
Leggett reiterated that he and the majority of the players just want the issue resolved. They are hoping that it can be done quickly and without any kind of intervention. However, it doesn't look promising since they are not even getting return calls.
The issue of what will happen to the Empire in the future is still uncertain. Brown has announced that the team will be joining the Arena Football League in 2024. The AFL originally started in 1987, but has gone bankrupt twice, most recently in 2019. They are reportedly set to return in 2024. Whether they welcome Brown and the Empire remains to be seen.
What do you think will happen next in the Brown saga? Do you think he will pay his players voluntarily, or will the courts have to force it? Click to comment below!
#SteelerNation
