Nike has ended its endorsement deal with New England Patriots wide receiver Antonio Brown, as accusations of rape and sexual misconduct swirl around him.
“Antonio Brown is not a Nike athlete,” a spokesperson told Fox Business on Thursday.
While the company spokesman did not go into detail about the reasoning for Nike’s decision to drop the star receiver, the serious accusations facing Brown must have factored into the decision.
Nearly two weeks ago, Brown was accused of two incidents of sexual assault and one incident of rape, in 2017 and 2018, by former trainer Britney Taylor. The following week, he was accused of sexual misconduct by a another woman who accused Brown of making inappropriate sexual advances toward her while she painted a mural of him.
Brown’s rape accuser met with NFL investigators for 10 hours on Monday. The league is expected to interview Brown in the coming weeks as well.
Nike had released a signature shoe for Brown, the Nike Tech Trainer Antonio Brown.
“Brown also lost an endorsement deal with helmet maker Xenith, who cut ties with the Patriots star just days after the partnership was announced,” Fox Business reports.
Brown played his first game with the Patriots last Sunday, where he caught four passes for 56 yards and a touchdown.
Follow Dylan Gwinn on Twitter @themightygwinn
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