Antonio Brown and two other NFL players have been suspended immediately for three games by the league for violating COVID-19 protocols.The Tampa Bay wide receiver and teammate Mike Edwards were suspended Thursday. Free agent John Franklin III, if signed by a team, is also ineligible to play in the next three games.Video above: Tampa Bay receiver Antonio Brown accused by former live-in-chef of faking vaccination statusAll three players have accepted the discipline and waived their right of appeal. The suspensions are effective immediately.The NFL Players Association, which developed the protocols along with the league, represented the three players during a review of the recent allegations that players misrepresented their vaccination status. Brown, Edwards, a cornerback, and Franklin, a defensive back who last played for the Bucs in 2019, were found in violation of the protocols.Last month, Brown was accused of obtaining a fake COVID-19 vaccination card in order to circumvent NFL protocols, according to a report published by the Tampa Bay Times.The allegation came from Brown's former live-in chef, Steven Ruiz, the newspaper said. Ruiz said he came forward with the accusation after Brown failed to pay $10,000 owed to him.Ruiz said he was asked by Brown's girlfriend to get the fake card in July.Ruiz was unable to acquire a vaccine card for Brown, but claimed the player later showed him fake cards Brown had obtained for himself and his girlfriend, the Times reported.After the story broke, the Buccaneers released a statement saying they had vaccination cards from all players and that "all vaccination cards were reviewed by Buccaneers personnel and no irregularities were observed."Brown's attorney, Sean Burstyn, told ESPN at the time that Brown was vaccinated.NFL rules do not require players to be vaccinated, but those who are unvaccinated are subject to additional precautions including daily testing, masking and eating separately from teammates during meals.Brown's career has been marked by off-field incidents, and he served an eight-game suspension last season before joining Tampa Bay. That punishment came after he made a no-contest plea to burglary and battery charges last year. Brown also was accused of sending threatening text messages by a woman who said he also made sexual advances toward her.Brown, 33, has played parts of 12 seasons in the NFL. He was an All-Pro in 2014, '15, '16 and '17 with Pittsburgh, and also has been with the Raiders, Patriots and Bucs, though he never played in a game for the Raiders.“The health and safety of players and personnel is our top priority," the NFL and NFLPA said in a joint statement. "The protocols were jointly developed working with our respective experts to ensure that we are practicing and playing football as safely as possible during the ongoing pandemic. The NFL-NFLPA jointly reinforce their commitment and further emphasize the importance of strict adherence to the protocols to protect the well-being of everyone associated with the NFL.”Hearst station WCVB contributed to this report.
Antonio Brown and two other NFL players have been suspended immediately for three games by the league for violating COVID-19 protocols.
The Tampa Bay wide receiver and teammate Mike Edwards were suspended Thursday. Free agent John Franklin III, if signed by a team, is also ineligible to play in the next three games.
Video above: Tampa Bay receiver Antonio Brown accused by former live-in-chef of faking vaccination status
All three players have accepted the discipline and waived their right of appeal. The suspensions are effective immediately.
The NFL Players Association, which developed the protocols along with the league, represented the three players during a review of the recent allegations that players misrepresented their vaccination status. Brown, Edwards, a cornerback, and Franklin, a defensive back who last played for the Bucs in 2019, were found in violation of the protocols.
Last month, Brown was accused of obtaining a fake COVID-19 vaccination card in order to circumvent NFL protocols, according to a report published by the Tampa Bay Times.
The allegation came from Brown's former live-in chef, Steven Ruiz, the newspaper said. Ruiz said he came forward with the accusation after Brown failed to pay $10,000 owed to him.
Ruiz said he was asked by Brown's girlfriend to get the fake card in July.
Ruiz was unable to acquire a vaccine card for Brown, but claimed the player later showed him fake cards Brown had obtained for himself and his girlfriend, the Times reported.
After the story broke, the Buccaneers released a statement saying they had vaccination cards from all players and that "all vaccination cards were reviewed by Buccaneers personnel and no irregularities were observed."
Brown's attorney, Sean Burstyn, told ESPN at the time that Brown was vaccinated.
NFL rules do not require players to be vaccinated, but those who are unvaccinated are subject to additional precautions including daily testing, masking and eating separately from teammates during meals.
Brown's career has been marked by off-field incidents, and he served an eight-game suspension last season before joining Tampa Bay. That punishment came after he made a no-contest plea to burglary and battery charges last year. Brown also was accused of sending threatening text messages by a woman who said he also made sexual advances toward her.
Brown, 33, has played parts of 12 seasons in the NFL. He was an All-Pro in 2014, '15, '16 and '17 with Pittsburgh, and also has been with the Raiders, Patriots and Bucs, though he never played in a game for the Raiders.
“The health and safety of players and personnel is our top priority," the NFL and NFLPA said in a joint statement. "The protocols were jointly developed working with our respective experts to ensure that we are practicing and playing football as safely as possible during the ongoing pandemic. The NFL-NFLPA jointly reinforce their commitment and further emphasize the importance of strict adherence to the protocols to protect the well-being of everyone associated with the NFL.”
Hearst station WCVB contributed to this report.
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