Patriots Release Antonio Brown

Brown was released following the NFL's announcement that it would conduct an investigation regarding the league's personal conduct policy.

The Patriots released wide receiver Antonio Brown on Friday, the team announced.

Brown's release follows the announcement of an NFL investigation regarding alleged harassment and intimidation, according to The MMQB's Robert Klemko. The Patriots and the NFL spoke to Brown and advised him to no longer contact the accuser upon learning of the alleged harassment, per Klemko.

“The NFL has pledged to conduct a thorough investigation under its Personal Conduct Policy. We will cooperate fully with the NFL in this investigation to ensure that the threats and intimidation against our client cease, and that she and her family remain safe.

— robertklemko (@RobertKlemko) September 20, 2019

Brown was signed on Sept. 7 and played in Week 2 for the Patriots at Miami. He caught four passes for 56 yards and one touchdown. 

"The New England Patriots are releasing Antonio Brown," New England tweeted on Friday. "We appreciate the hard work of many people over the past 11 days, but we feel that it is best to move in a different direction at this time."

Brown reportedly sent "intimidating" text message to a woman who says he made an "unwanted sexual advance" toward her in 2017, Klemko reported on Monday. Screenshots of the texts allegedly feature Brown sending a photo of the accuser's children as well as instructions to associates to "look up her background history."

New tonight: Antonio Brown sent our source from Monday’s story menacing group text messages, including a picture of her children with instructions for his associates to investigate her.

Her lawyer wrote the NFL calling for the intimidation to stop. https://t.co/rCTM8WSI6Z pic.twitter.com/QtONzBf7Ig

— robertklemko (@RobertKlemko) September 20, 2019

“Our client ... is understandably frightened by these text messages, which are clearly intended to threaten and intimidate her,” the accuser's lawyer Lisa J. Banks wrote in a letter to the NFL. “While she certainly qualifies as a ‘starving artist,’ she has never approached Mr. Brown, nor will she, about seeking money to compensate her for his sexual misconduct, contrary to his allegations in the text messages.”

Brown's agent Drew Rosenhaus responded to his clients' release on Friday

"It's unfortunate things didn't work out with the Patriots. But Antonio is healthy and is looking forward to his next opportunity in the NFL," Rosenhaus wrote on Twitter. "He wants to play the game he loves and he hopes to play for another team soon."

The four-time All-Pro was additionally accused of rape by his former trainer Britney Taylor on Sept. 10. Taylor accused Brown of three instances of sexual misconduct, culminating in an alleged rape in May 2018. 

"Thank you for the opportunity @Patriots #GoWinIt," Brown tweeted upon his release from New England on Friday. 

Thank you for the opportunity @Patriots #GoWinIt

— AB (@AB84) September 20, 2019

Brown was released by the Raiders on Sept. 7, six months after he was traded to Oakland by the Steelers.