Antonio Brown believes that he'll return to the NFL this season.
The wide receiver has been cut by both the Oakland Raiders and New England Patriots this season due to problems with management and allegations of sexual assault, respectively. Sources close to the one-time star who spoke to Pro Football Talk said he is optimistic the league will reach a decision on his status "very soon."
Brown is currently under investigation by the NFL regarding those assault allegations from his former personal trainer. Previous reports have painted a pessimistic picture of his chances to play this season, claiming he was refusing to cooperate with investigators. At times, he has railed against the league in his forced semi-retirement, accusing the NFL of treating him poorly because he is black. He also filed several grievances against his former teams.
"Imagine conforming to a system giving it a 100 percent to see them treat me like this is unfairly ! Making money off my sweat and blood Fuck the NFL." he wrote at the time. "I’ll never play in that shit treat black people the worse! Clear my name and go fuck your self."
He walked back the outburst almost immediately, telling his followers he was merely frustrated at being kept off the field.
Brown took a similar tack when he apologized to Patriots owner Robert Kraft. In a post to Instagram on Tuesday, Brown expressed regret over the negative attention he brought to his former team.
Brown spoke with NFL investigators on November 14. They have not said when they will release their decision on his eligibility.
