Mike Mayock: Time for Antonio Brown to be all in or all out

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Raiders General Manager Mike Mayock has had just about enough of Antonio Brown and his helmet.

Mayock told reporters today that Brown is not at practice because he’s still angry the NFL won’t let him wear the helmet of his choice, and Mayock left little doubt that it’s beginning to wear on the team that everyone else is working hard while Brown is not.

“AB is not here today,” Mayock said. “Here’s the bottom line: He’s upset about the helmet issue. We have supported that, we appreciate that. But at this point, we’ve pretty much exhausted all avenues of relief. So from our perspective, it’s time for him to be all in or all out. We’re hoping he’s back soon. We’ve got 89 guys busting their tails. We are really excited about where this franchise is going, and we’re hoping AB is going to be a big part of it, starting Week One against Denver. End of story, no questions.”

Although the Raiders have been publicly supportive of Brown, there’s a limit to their patience with the star wide receiver who has spent training camp dealing with frostbitten feet and helmet drama. Mayock seems to have reached his limit.

128 responses to “Mike Mayock: Time for Antonio Brown to be all in or all out

  1. The Raiders made an imbecilic decision in trading for Brown in the first place. But make no mistake that was Gruden’s decision rather than Mayock’s.

  2. Sign a head case, get a head case. Even I knew that, and I’m even less qualified to be an NFL GM than Mayock is.

  3. # I know that the best quality is on. I can really recommend it <3 ¬ NFLSQTV . COM ¬ <3 . I think it's the best N­­F­­L option for this season and preseason.

  4. as a Panther fan I may not agree with Eric Reid says on twitter BUT he has showed up & done well for the Panthers
    Mike Mayock is right & i hope Brown has to go back to the streets

  5. Imagine being his agent, or the woman in his life, or his kid. Or living next door to him, or growing up with this sorry excuse for a man.

  6. I do find it interesting that Carr and Gruden both have been kissing AB’s butt through all of this but now Mayock is not playing along. Looks like this trade was all Gruden.

  7. maxamili says:
    August 18, 2019 at 6:10 pm
    Colin , AB, Eric Reid are the same guysm
    Entitled millionaires who complain about stupid things.

    ———-

    Right because standing up for what one sees as a social injustice with sweeping implications for an entire race is pretty much the same thing as whining about the NFL moving on from your favorite model of helmet. Right?

  8. Well said by Mayock – hopefully he had the exact same conversation first with AB and Gruden before bringing this up in front of the beat writers. But he’s dead on.

    If AB was smart he’d show up an hour before everyone else, stay an hour later practicing his craft and set this example every day for the rest of camp.

  9. Really, what was he expecting with AB. All these diva receivers need to look at Larry Fitzgerald and how he goes about his business. One of the all time greats that has had many years of awful Qb play but always a team first guy. Raiders are getting what they deserve with this mess.

  10. Hopefully Mayock is not all talk and no action. It’s about time some GM stood up to these prima donna multimillionaire players of a kids game. Most of these guys wouldn’t know how to work a real job if they had to. I’ll tell you what Mr. Brown, quit playing football and see how you like working for a living, Walmart, McDonalds, Home Depot, they’re all hiring. About construction, furniture movers, refuse collection, there’s a lot of good honest work for people who want to work. I doubt if you’re one of them.

  11. “So from our perspective, it’s time for him to be all in or all out.”

    And my vote goes to… (wait for it) is… “all out” as he’s never been any part of “in” in the first place, never mind trying to get him to go “all in”.

    Raider nation just needs to cut it’s loses now and move on, It was a nice dream on paper but in reality it will never come to fruition.

  12. Raiders need to start heavily fining and then look at suspending him. I’d be done with this along with hoping to recoup some cap space if he sits out.

  13. While some may think the Steelers caved in to Brown, most think they were absolutely genius in getting a third and fifth for the malcontent. The Mr. Big Chest show, and all. I’m normally critical of Tomlin, however, at least he got several years out of Brown before he ran off the rails. The Raiders can’t even get a practice out of him.

  14. Haha.
    Tomlin gets a lot of credit for the incredible on field performance he was able to coach out of this sixth round lunatic.
    Mayock can keep stomping his feet and holding his breath and see how that works. Lol.

  15. Antonio Brown is a train wreck.
    Very talented, but a train wreck nonetheless.

    The fact that he’s causing his new team this much grief after his unceremonious exit from Pittsburgh is ridiculous.
    He should be doing everything in his power to prove they were the issue, not him.
    Right now, he’s just proving to everybody that the Steelers were right in black and white.

    AB will have some games this season that will make most forget about his antics of August, he’s just that good.
    But, this is a player you can never really trust, and one that’s difficult to truly depend on moving forward.

    In my opinion, he’ll be fine for the Raiders, but if I was a fan of a team with expectations of playing deep into January and beyond, he’s just not the type of player I’d want on my team.
    And I’m glad he’s not.

  16. Everyday he tries to control the narrative, everyday you lose towards even attempting to make the playoffs. Teambuilding starts in the spring.

  17. Maybe that helmet is what’s caused him to act up in the past. Dude you fought for your helmet (which was your right and I agreed with)but you lost. The league has said you’ve got to wear another helmet get over it and get back to work and collecting your 60 mill

  18. Would love to be a fly on the wall when Mayock and Gruden are discussing this clown without cameras around.

  19. No sympathy here.
    This is the brain trust that thought that bringing Richie Incognito, Vontaze Burfict and Antonio Brown on board at the same time was a good idea.

  20. tavisteelersfan says:
    August 18, 2019 at 7:03 pm
    Haha.
    Tomlin gets a lot of credit for the incredible on field performance he was able to coach out of this sixth round lunatic.
    Mayock can keep stomping his feet and holding his breath and see how that works. Lol.

    ———
    Tomlin more than anyone ruined AB. Instead of holding him accountable and taking disciplinary action when Brown pulled his crap, Tomlin instead looked the other way. Can anyone seriously imagine Belichick putting up with 1/100th of AB’s behavior? Tomlin allowed AB to become the petulant child he now is…..and Gruden bought and paid for it

  21. soisaystotheguyi says:
    August 18, 2019 at 6:29 pm

    …If AB was smart…
    ————————————————

    Stop right there, my friend. No need to waste any more pixels.

  22. Tomlin gets no credit whatsoever. To allow this diva to do what he did on a team so talented they could have won a SuperBowl or two? He let the vibe Brown permeates consume the locker room instead of ending it. On a side note, I thank Tomlin for it. Pats fan.

  23. The guy is a cancer who should be blackballed from the league. Let’s not forget how he quit on the Steelers before their most important game of the season last year. The NFL doesn’t need clowns like this. And stop with this “AB” nonsense. He hasn’t done nearly enough to get the two initial treatment.

  24. Agree with Bob. Just Bob.
    Antonio Brown doesn’t want to go through training camp. He will show up the last week and be ready for game 1.

  25. Surely the bum is in breach of contract? His contribution to the team to date has been s.f.a. and that should be the Raiders’ total contribution(s) to the AB bank account – s.f.a.

  26. THANK YOU MIKE MAYOCK. I hope there is some provision that will allow the raiders to recoup some money, they should not have their salary cap take a hit because this baby won’t show up because of a helmet. What a d-bag this guy is, so disrespectful to the organization but more importantly, the raiders fans. They deserve much better than this. If anyone deserves to be blacklisted by the owners, it’s this clown

  27. I think this story has a lot to do with the NFL using Brown as a way to show the players that they wont be pushed around. I think Goodell wants the players to know that this isnt the NBA, and that they are going to listen to the rules. Goodell’s biggest fear is having the players do as they please, this is just another way to combat that. A super star player that has had issues in the past is a perfect opportunity. Hes not the NFL’s golden boy, so they have no problem making using him as an example. Now AB is just playing right into their game. Get to practice and get to work. This show is over…Goodell seems to win everytime.

  28. I’m all for calling a spade a spade… But let’s not equate football into this men personal life “you wouldn’t mention this men kids or family to his face” so don’t be a keyboard warrior ..Keep it respectful‼️

  29. I can’t imagine the fireworks if AB isn’t named team MVP by his teammates.

    That was the final straw for him with the Steelers last year that caused him to walk out on the team.

  30. It’s OK to act this way when you’re 5 years old – it’s not OK when you’re 31. I wouldn’t hire him for the night shift at McDonalds.

    Maybe he should have considered wrapping his head for that cryogenic freezing therapy.

  31. Mayock – let me clue you in to something everyone else already knows – AB is obviously not 100% in. What are you going to do? – let me tell you, you’ll do very little – AB will do what AB wants – b/c you / Raiders were already stupid enough to spend millions on a known nut case. He’s your problem and you can do very little about it which is why a large part of the US, and particularly western PA, is laughing at you. In German, they call it ‘Schadenfreude’, meaning, enjoying the misery of others – in this case, yours.

  32. As much fun as it is to make fun of AB or laugh at the Raiders, his actions are borderline on the irrational and a mental health expert may need to be called in before he crashes and burns and destroys what has otherwise been an amazing career.

  33. Don Trump says:
    “..As much fun as it is to make fun of AB or laugh at the Raiders, his actions are borderline on the irrational and a mental health expert may need to be called in before he crashes and burns and destroys what has otherwise been an amazing career…”

    Coming from a guy with your handle, that’s pretty funny.

  34. Maybe because of a few choice hits playing in his old helmet he may have lost his marbles. That hit from Burfict a few years ago probably didn’t help. Very sad. Dude’s a great football player and works his ass off. I’m a Steeler fan and former Antonio Brown fan.

  35. good job Mike. about time somebody grew a “pair” and put that whiney diva in his place. Here’s
    hoping he is all out and the team and league instantly becomes better for it. If more teams would do that, the league in general is better. Seems like every time a whiner wants to skip
    camp, they start finding excuses to hold out. I wish all 32 teams had the cahonies to tell
    players to just stay home for good and this crap would come to a halt fast.

  36. okcuc says:
    August 18, 2019 at 7:43 pm

    Agree with Bob. Just Bob.
    Antonio Brown doesn’t want to go through training camp. He will show up the last week and be ready for game 1.

    ————-

    And if the Raiders had any kind of Brass Stones.. Brown would sit on the bench the whole game.

  37. Antonio Brown’s behavior legitimately worries me – for his own sake and the sake of his family. He is acting like, quite frankly, someone who has taken a few too many hits to the head. I don’t remember him acting like this early in his career. Maybe it is time for him to be “all out.”

  38. That is an empty threat. AB is not going to retire, and the Raiders are not going to cut or trade him. Which team is going to trade for him? AB knows that and he is not going to be scared by the tough talk.

  39. Seriously, this behavior isn’t just borderline crazy, it’s full blown. Beginning to think that hit Burfict put on him scrambled some circuits. Not kidding about this. He needs help whether he wants it or not. As long as he’s in the league I think they can force the issue, and should.
    On a related subject – between this guy, Big Ben with his weekly Throw Team Mates Under the Bus show, and Tomlin putting up with it, I’m beginning to think Bell is the sane one for forcing his way out. Add to that their tendency to overuse him and I can see why he even prefers the playing for the Jets.

  40. You reap what you sow. If you play with fire don’t be shocked you get burned.

  41. This is like Albert Haynesworth all over again.

    AB is going to get jammed at the line by a 175 pound corner, fall to the grass, and lay there for the rest of the play. Especially if it’s not his number being called on that play.

  42. While I do agree with those saying Tomlin was too lenient, at the same time, I have to say that Brown is a grown man, and, as such, he shouldn’t need another grown man to tell him how to carry himself, and be a professional. Everyone saying this or that coach would have suspended him, benched him etc. Sorry, doubt it would happen, the player’s union would have been all over it in a heartbeat, then Vegas would have weighed in. Even with all he’s done/doing the mighty NFL can’t suspend him. No doubt some, hopefully never to be repeated, organizational mistakes were made with respect to Brown. I’m just glad he’s not the Steelers problem anymore.

  43. If AB is released, when will a Kapernick-like suit be filed against the NFL since no right-minded GM will sign him now?

  44. Didn’t Burfict already crack that helmet and
    A.B’s. head in doing so and knocking him out the playoff game because of the concussion protocol??

  45. Send him 5 day letter. Het then owes the money for the bonus, his contract is cancell3d he get no money and he must sit out the entire season.

  46. SWFLPC.INC

    Brown was a sixth round pic. A

    Anyone else but Tomlin and the guy never even makes it on the field, never mind 8 years and more than 11000 yrds, a mess of pro bowls etc. If that is ruining a sixth round pic, tell me someone who did better?

    You can bask in the excuses for failure. Tomlin. Never had a losing season. No excuses.

  47. As someone who has been friends with AB, in the past mind you, his current behavior is totally out of line with the AB that I knew. I seriously hope that he’s not suffering from a mental health issue.

  48. You know what happens when you give ultimatums to nutjobs like Brown. He snaps. Get ready for fireworks, folks.

  49. I would bet that this absolutely has to do more with his feet not being healed yet then the helmet issue. He uses the helmet as an excuse to take the heat off himself for his poor decision when he hurt his feet. Bet the Raiders could go after him for $ since it was non-fotball related though.

  50. No matter what happens to AB in this situation, he’ll never know what it’s like to be a ‘regular’ person. The second he would come available, he’ll be picked up by one of the million sports shows. With the million watt smile, and his craziness, he’ll be paid handsomely to sit at a disk and unload opinion after opinion. . Fox, ESPN, NBC, CBS or another network (online or broadcast) would undoubtedly find a spot for him. And once again, he’ll be laughing all the way to the bank. And remember, even with all his issues with the Steelers, DWTS had no problem puttin’ him on. Either did The Masked Singer. Craziness and maybe even being a tad unhinged, sells in today’s world.

  51. LOL!! at Salty Steelers fan still bitter, AB will still put up 100 catches, 1,200 yards and 12-15tds believe that

  52. Make no mistake, if it hadn’t come down to either Brown goes or Roethlisberger goes, Brown would still be on the Steelers. Let’s not make them out to be saints.

  53. First we get fleeced by the Bears, then the Cowboys and now the old washed superstar WR is giving us another dose of reality: The Raiders are a very long way away from being competitive. No replacement for Mack, no QB and now no WR.

    #RaiderNationDepression

  54. From the King FMIA article :

    Though Brown had been a headache to that point, Mayock told me: “Unfortunately there is a sliding scale—the more talent a guy has, the more opportunities he’s going to get….”

  55. Mayock’s comments make Antonio want to stomp his feet and go to his room – but they’re still a little tender…

  56. Easily understood to average intelligence, his old helmet didn’t function safely.

  57. To be fair… AB’s feet are still healing. He wasn’t playing in preseason games, and he returned to camp only to be told he can’t use his helmet, then he played the loop hole, then the NFL closed the loophole.

    In the end, we’re talking about the league focusing on safety and Brown focusing on the rules that were put in front of him.

    I am not sure why his helmet is so special. I’m sure there’s a level of comfort, but this time could be used to get more comfortable with a new helmet instead of giving HBO what they want and throwing a tantrum over this.

    I still say this is all stinks of a reality TV story line contrived to help Hard Knocks ratings.

  58. Is it possible Antonio Brown does not want to play football an is not man enough to just say it?

  59. Raiders moving to Vegas because of money right? Here’s a suggestion have mayock fight Antonio at the MGM on pay per view with Jerruh vs Zeke on the undercard!!!

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