Sep 19, 2019 - Sports

Nike cancels sponsorship with Antonio Brown

Ursula Perano

Nike ended its sponsorship deal with New England Patriots receiver Antonio Brown Thursday, following accusations of sexual assault against the player, per USA Today.

The big picture: Just days after his dramatic departure from the Raiders and signing a 1-year, $15 million contract with the Patriots, Brown was accused of sexual assault in a civil suit by a former trainer last week. Brown's lawyer denied the claims, and the NFL is investigating the matter. Brown remains eligible to play and made his debut with the Patriots last weekend.

What they're saying: A Nike spokesperson said, "Brown is not a Nike athlete," but did not elaborate.

In an interview with Complex, Brown called the Nike deal "huge" and said it was "opening up leverage for a lot of other guys and a lot of up-and-coming players to get in the marketing world and making money off the field."
While details of the deal are not public, Nike released a "Nike Tech Trainer Antonio Brown" shoe in February. The shoe has since been removed from Nike's website.

What's next: Brown is slated to play against the New York Jets this Sunday while the NFL continues its investigation.

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Nike cancels sponsorship with Antonio Brown

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