Patriots sign Antonio Brown to reported 1-year deal worth up to $15M
It didn't take long for Antonio Brown to find a new home.
Mere hours after he orchestrated a release from the Oakland Raiders, Brown agreed to terms with the defending champion New England Patriots, his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, confirmed to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
It's a one-year deal worth up to $15 million with a $9-million signing bonus, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
The Patriots open their season Sunday night against Brown's first team, the Pittsburgh Steelers. The receiver is ineligible to play, however, because he wasn't on the roster at 4 p.m. Saturday, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.
The Patriots swooping in to land the four-time All-Pro is similar to their acquisition of Randy Moss in 2007 following the wideout's short stint with the Raiders. The duo of Moss and Tom Brady went on to set offensive records in a magical 16-0 season that would ultimately end in Super Bowl heartbreak.
Brown's six-month stint with the Raiders was littered with social media posts that eventually led to his release. Belichick and the Patriots are notorious for being against such behavior.
His on-field production is unquestionable. Brown has put together six consecutive seasons of more than 1,284 receiving yards and at least eight touchdowns. He led the league in scores in 2018 with 15 and added 1,297 yards on 104 receptions.
Brown now joins a receiving corps that lost Rob Gronkowski to retirement but still boasts Julian Edelman, Phillip Dorsett, and Josh Gordon.
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