The NFL has declined to put New England Patriots wide receiver Antonio Brown on the commissioner’s exempt list, making the embattled receiver eligible to play for New England this weekend.
Brown, who was accused of sexual assault and rape by a former trainer only hours after his recent signing with the Patriots, was released from the Raiders last week after a series of bizarre incidents involving his helmet and recorded conversations with his head coach.
The Washington Post’s Mark Maske reported earlier in the week that the NFL was giving “serious consideration” to putting Brown on the exempt list, a function of the commissioner’s office in which the league can prevent a player from participating in practice or games until an investigation is completed.
However, the NFL resolved to not place Brown on the list as of now, because there is no criminal investigation into the allegations against him. The NFL however, does plan to proceed with an investigation into the charges.
“Britney Taylor filed that lawsuit and is set to be interviewed by the league next week as part of its investigation into her claims against Brown,” Pro Football Talk reported. “While the rules governing the exempt list are broad enough for the league to act now, waiting until the interview allows the league to weigh the credibility of both the accusation and Brown’s denial of all charges.”
News of Antonio Brown’s Patriots debut helped to make New England a staggering -18.5 favorite over Miami.
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