Antonio Brown's helmet issue is not intrinsic to the Raiders' locker room, so they've been told. Following the team's 14-3 win over the LA Rams last night, Raiders' coach Jon Gruden reiterated his commitment to Antonio Brown on all fronts. The best-case scenario for AB: Gruden goes to bat for his player; but in all likelihood, he's not in a position to dole out anything other than token solidarity. Needless to say, Gruden's support of AB was spoken with true conviction; here's what he had to say.
Amanda Edwards/Getty Images
"I support this guy. I think that's what needs to be said," Gruden told the press. "I don't know what anybody's writing or what anybody thinks, but this foot injury wasn't his fault. This was a total accident. It really wasn't his fault, and it's a serious injury. I know that some people are [joking about] it, but it's really not a laughing matter. The guy is hurt, he didn't do anything wrong, and the helmet thing is a personal matter to him."
Antonio Brown threatened imminent retirement this past week after he was caught sneaking a modified helmet into training camp. The NFL's insistence on tighter regulations over equipment was largely unenforced in previous years. According to Brown, the new helmet design impedes his vision, exposing him to potential dangers on the field, and the potential for a dip in production. The Raiders resume training camp on Monday in Napa, California.
