Antonio Brown accuses NFL of 'targeted hate' against black players, blasts former teammate Ben Roethlisberger
Football wide receiver Antonio Brown, on December 11, slammed his former team's quarterback Ben Roethlisberger on Twitter and accused the National Football League (NFL) of racism.
The former Steeler slammed his former teammate after a Twitter user suggested that Roethlisberger was responsible for his success. Brown also made a reference to Roethlisberger’s past accusations of sexual assault while accusing the NFL of using racial preferences in how they punish their players.
“Guess all mighty @nfl can hold players out against there will no criminal charges pending nothing but A Caucasian player gets a domestic go to jail still out there playing targeted hate against us everywhere my peeps,” Brown wrote. The player appeared to be referring to a lawsuit filed against him by his former trainer Brittney Taylor, where she accused Brown of sexually assaulting her on two occasions. Brown has not been charged with a crime.
Taylor made the accusation earlier this year when Brown was a member of the New England Patriots. The team, shortly after the allegations, cut Brown out after one game. He has not received an offer from another team since. Reports state that Brown was not suspended or placed on the commissioner's exempt list, and the NFL is currently probing the allegations.
Brown, during his tweeting spree, also hit out at the NFL players' union, wondering why multiple current players in the league, who had been arrested in the past, were still allowed to play.
The wide receiver also took shots at Roethlisberger and the quarterback’s legal history. Roethlisberger, in 2009, was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in Nevada. Reports state that both sides settled over two years after the accusations were made. The quarterback was also accused of sexually assaulting a woman in Georgia. However, he was not charged in the case.
Brown retweeted a comment written by a Twitter user: "How come Ben Roethlisberger is in the NFL? Didn’t he have serious accusations before? I don’t always think it’s always necessary to play the 'race card' but I can definitely agree with this one! Something ain’t right.”
The wide receiver also said that his former teammate was a 'loser' before Brown joined the Pittsburgh.