What Boston sports radio is saying about Antonio Brown
“It’s a he said, she said, but does he have to play this weekend?”
When the news broke earlier this week that Antonio Brown was accused of rape, it elicited a series of questions about the wide receiver’s status with the Patriots.
The NFL announced Friday that Brown will not be placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List at this point, which means he’s eligible to play against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Patriots head coach kept mum when asked about whether Brown would play, and he deliberately chose to not share an opinion about Britney Taylor’s allegations.
The reactions around the NFL were strong – many of them vehemently against Brown and others siding with the former Oakland Raider. Here’s how Boston sports radio personalities reacted to the latest chapter in the Brown saga.
Toucher & Rich
Fred Toettcher thinks it’s very possible that Patriots coach Bill Belichick knew about the allegations before the news broke. He believes Belichick lied to reporters Wednesday when he said that the Patriots have “looked into the situation and taken it very seriously.”
Toettcher was aggravated that Belichick didn’t discuss the situation in more detail and left the podium after just three and a half minutes.
“News is news, and you have to address things sometimes,” Toettcher said on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Toucher & Rich on Thursday. “This isn’t, ‘We’re on to Cincinnati. I can’t believe he goes, ‘We’re on to Miami.’”
Rich Shertenlieb added onto that, noting that Belichick could have handled the situation better.
“It was the one time he needed to come off like a human being, because it was such a sensitive issue,” Shertenlieb said.
They then had Sports Illustrated reporter Albert Breer on the show, and he said there are three possibilities regarding Belichick.
“None of them are good,” Breer said. “One, they knew, and went forward with it, anyway, which, to me, just, how good did they look the other night? Why do you need that? He’s such a good player, but why did you need that if you knew that this was part of it?”
Option two, Breer said, Brown and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, lied to the Patriots, which Breer noted isn’t necessarily a prudent way to start a relationship.
Possibility three, he continued, is that the Patriots didn’t ask, which he said seems impossible because of how diligent they typically are. Breer said he would be surprised if the Patriots didn’t pry and ask Rosenhaus if he was concealing any pertinent information.
“Is there anything else we should know before we sign him?” Breer said. “Is there anything else out there we need to deal with?”
In reality, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Patriots didn’t know Brown was facing a lawsuit when they signed him. Sources told Fowler that representatives were in discussions for months and opted to keep their communication confidential, indicating that the only way the Patriots would have learned the information is if someone breached their decision to remain quiet.
Toettcher, Rich, and Breer also pointed out how the sagas surrounding owner Robert Kraft’s prostitution charges and safety Patrick Chung’s cocaine charges magically disappeared enough so that both players could be out there Sunday night for the Patriots to unveil their sixth championship banner.
Though they said they don’t know if Brown is guilty, or whether the Patriots should cut him, they all agreed the Patriots have experience dealing with off-the-field drama.
Said Shertenlieb: “They know the value of riding the storm out.”
Reporter: Are the plans to have Antonio Brown play on Sunday?
BB: “We’ll do what’s best for the team.”
Reporter: Will it be best for the team to have Antonio play?
BB: “We’ll determine that. I’m not going to hand out a copy of the game-plan here.” pic.twitter.com/J4RvGFNSYS
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) September 13, 2019
Zolak & Bertrand
Marc Bertrand of 98.5 said he believes Patriots ownership should provide some sort of reaction to the situation. He said that if it were any other owner in town, everyone would be clamoring for a statement of some kind, and he hinted at the fact that Kraft doesn’t always have to follow the same rules.
“We’re 12 hours deep into having thoughts on Antonio Brown,” Bertrand said Friday. “Fans are many hours deep into having thoughts. Bill Belichick has had to step to the podium and give his thoughts. Tom Brady has given his thoughts. Matthew Slater, Devin McCourty, the entire Patriots locker room has been asked their thoughts. I don’t know. I’m thinking maybe the guys who own the team would offer up their thoughts.”
Since it’s Kraft’s team, Bertrand thinks it’s only fair that Kraft should have to answer questions on the matter. If Red Sox owner John Henry were in a similar spot, for instance, Boston media would “kick the crap out of him,” Bertrand said.
Scott Zolak said he doesn’t expect ownership to say more until it has more to say.
“If they don’t have anything more than what the statement said, I don’t see them speaking,” Zolak said.
Ordway, Merloni and Fauria
Former Patriots assistant Mike Lombardi came on the show and praised Belichick for his ability to get the best out of stars with baggage.
“Bill’s not afraid to coach talent,” Lombardi said. “I think that’s the bottom line.”
He said Belichick and Tom Brady’s level of success helps in bringing in and maximizing talent, because Brown won’t be able to come off the field and complain about not getting the ball.
“He just joined the Navy Seals program, and he’s a project in the Seals,” Lombardi said. “That’s how things operate in Foxborough.”
Lou Merloni was surprised that the Patriots and Rosenhaus didn’t discuss this in some manner before the news broke, and Christian Fauria focused on the ramifications going forward.
“Do you think the Pats should suit Antonio Brown to play on Sunday?” Christian Fauria asked, to which Lombardi said he would wait until he had all the facts to make a decision on his future.
“The problem with him is he sounds like a scumbag,” Glenn Ordway said. “If this were Andrew Luck, people would say, ‘No, he’s brave,’ but people look at it much differently. His past reputation is forcing people right now to think the worst.”
Mut at Night
WEEI’s Mike Mutnansky, like many others, was flabbergasted by how little time it took for Brown to disrupt the team upon his arrival.
“If you sign Antonio Brown, he could be a distraction,” Mutnansky said in his segment Mut at Night. “I did not think it would come before he played his first game in a New England Patriots uniform.”
He pointed out that this is a civil lawsuit, noting that his personal goal isn’t to play the role of a lawyer as he explains what’s transpired to his listeners. Mutnansky’s role is to explain what he knows and offer his take on it, and he noted that Britney Taylor, who accused Brown of rape, is seeking damages and a trial by jury.
Later on, he added that he would “put a pause on the Antonio Brown, New England Patriots marriage” and have Brown sit out Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins. He pointed out how severe the allegations are and that those involved should take their time in determining the verdict and correct course of action from that ruling.
“It’s a he said, she said, but does he have to play this weekend?” Mutnansky asked. “Can you put a pause on the Antonio Brown scenario until you get some more details in this case? Why would he have to play? Who does that serve? What good does that do?”
Dale and Keefe
On WEEI, Dale Arnold and Rich Keefe poked fun at Belichick by pointing out that he shocked everyone by saying the Patriots will “do what’s best for the team” when asked whether Brown will play Sunday.
They said that if he’s not on the Commissioner’s Exempt List next week, they suspect he’ll play the whole season.
Dale and Keefe were surprised Taylor accused Brown of rape right before she’s reportedly about to get married.
They believe that there will theoretically be more information next week at this time but agreed it will be tough to prove who’s right because it happened a few years ago and there may not end up being much evidence either way.
