Ask and you shall receive. Antonio Brown is no longer a member of the Oakland Raiders.
The seemingly endless Brown drama heated up again Saturday when the mercurial receiver asked the team to release him in a post on Instagram. The Raiders had fined Brown more than $215,000 for conduct detrimental to the team and in doing so had voided $29 million in guarantees on his contract.
Brown's wish was granted a few hours later.
Speculation as to Brown's next destination has increased as his relationship with the Raiders crumbled this week. The Patriots are now the betting favorite to land him.
The Patriots, of course, have a history of bringing in troubled players to try and reestablish productive careers, the latest being oft-suspended receiver Josh Gordon.
NBC Sports Boston Patriots Insider Tom E. Curran weighed in on the Brown saga earlier this week and the Patriots' possible interest.
The release comes after a drama-filled day in which the receiver apologized for a profanity-filled verbal altercation with GM Mike Mayock a day earlier. Coach Jon Gruden then said he expected Brown to play in the Raiders' Monday night opener at home against the Denver Broncos. Then, late Friday, Brown posted a YouTube video that included a recorded phone conversation between himself and Raiders coach Jon Gruden.
New England Patriots
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An eventful training camp included Brown unable to participate at first because of frostbitten feet from cryotherapy and then objecting to a new NFL rule that prevents him from wearing his old-style helmet and having his grievance with the league seeking to use his old headgear denied.
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