Report: Seahawks looked into Antonio Brown before claiming Josh Gordon
Antonio Brown hasn’t played football in 42 days after the New England Patriots cut him following multiple sexual assault allegations, but that didn’t stop the Seattle Seahawks from looking into signing the troubled wide receiver.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Sunday that the Seahawks did their “due diligence” on Brown before ultimately claiming his former Patriots teammate Josh Gordon off waivers. One of Schefter’s sources added that quarterback Russell Wilson was among those who advocated for the Seahawks to sign Brown.
If you thought a Wilson-Gordon connection was intriguing, imagine Wilson throwing precision passes to Brown, one of the best route runners in the league.
The Seahawks opted not to sign Brown, though, likely because of the NFL’s investigation into the sexual assault allegations against the wide receiver. One woman accused Brown of sexual misconduct and another woman accused Brown of multiple sexual assault incidents, including forcible rape. The Patriots released Brown on Sept. 20 after text messages allegedly from Brown were discovered.
Brown hasn’t been suspended despite the allegations against him as the NFL continues its investigation. According to Schefter, the league has yet to speak to Brown about the allegations, signaling that the investigation might not be close to a resolution yet.
The NFL hasn’t commented on Brown’s situation since Oct. 16, when commissioner Roger Goodell said the league is “still working” on the investigation.
“Our folks have been working diligently on that, going through materials,” he said at league’s fall meetings in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in mid-October. “There’s a lot of material to go through. When we reach a conclusion, we’ll obviously let you know.”
Meanwhile, Brown filed nine grievances and appeals with the league, likely in an attempt to recoup some of the $61 million in guarantees he lost after being released by the Oakland Raiders and the Patriots. Until this investigation ends, teams will be wary of signing Brown.
Drew Rosenhaus, Brown’s agent, said there are “a few teams that are very interested in signing Antonio once this process is over,” according to Schefter’s report.
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