Brown says he won't play with guaranteed money voided: 'Release me'
Antonio Brown has asked in an Instagram caption for the Oakland Raiders to release him.
The wide receiver has also vowed to not play because the team voided the guaranteed money in his contract.
"No way I play after they took that and made my contract week-to-week," he told ESPN's Jeff Darlington via email.
Brown posted his Instagram message Saturday morning, hours after publishing a YouTube video that included audio from a phone conversation with Raiders head coach Jon Gruden.
"And that's fine! I have worked my whole life to prove that the system is blind to see talent like mines," Brown wrote. "Now that everyone sees it, they want me to conform to that same system that has failed me all those years. 'I'm not mad at anyone. I'm just asking for the freedom to prove them all wrong.' Release me @raiders #NOMore #theyputblindersonahorseforareason #NoMoreFake."
The Raiders voided $29.125 million of guaranteed money on Brown's contract when they fined him $215,073.53 for conduct detrimental to the team, league sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter. The team also notified Brown that he won't be entitled to termination pay if they cut him, sources told Schefter.
Brown's time in Oakland has been marred by off-field drama since he was traded from the Pittsburgh Steelers in March, with the wideout recently getting into a spat with Raiders general manager Mike Mayock, who fined him for unexcused absences from the team.
Oakland initially planned to suspend Brown for Week 1 but later decided to let him play. Gruden said Friday he expected the 31-year-old to be in the lineup for Monday Night Football against the Denver Broncos.
Brown caught 104 passes for 1,297 yards and 15 touchdowns in 15 games with the Steelers last season.