Things are rarely dull around Raiders wide receiver Antonio Brown and that goes from head to toes right now.
Brown has been away from the team for more than a week amid multiple reports of foot problems stemming from cryotherapy, but he’s reportedly due back soon. Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal also reported that the team believes the condition of Brown’s feet is a “non-issue.”
Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that league rules governing which helmets players can use is a problem. The NFL and NFLPA have banned 11 helmet models because of how poorly they performed in testing. There was a one-year grace period in 2018 allowing players to continue wearing those models, but they are not allowed to wear them this year.
Brown wore one of those models while with the Steelers and Schefter reports he has filed a grievance with the league in order to be allowed to keep wearing it. Schefter reports that some believe the helmet issue has been a bigger problem for Brown than anything to do with his feet.
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady switched from an approved model back to a now prohibited one during the 2018 season. There were 32 players in all wearing the banned models last year.
Per the report, Brown is expected to have a hearing next week on the matter.
UPDATE 4:28 p.m. ET: A league source clarified to PFT that Brown’s preferred helmet is not one of the 11 banned helmets that were allowed to be used through last season. Brown’s helmet is not allowed to be worn because it is not certified by the National Operating Committee for Standards and Athletic Equipment. The helmet is too old to receive that certification and the league prohibits the use of helmets without that certification.