Antonio Brown’s former stepfather: Brown ‘very abusive’ to women
Antonio Brown’s former stepfather, Larry Moss Jr., didn’t seem too surprised when news broke about the rape allegations against the Patriots receiver.
Larry Moss Jr. isn’t strictly-speaking related to Antonio Brown, but he says he knows AB well from being in the receiver’s earlier life. Moss helped raise Brown between the ages of five and 17 in Miami, Florida, and he says that even then, he knew he’d be bound for trouble.
“A lot of things that Tony’s doing, nothing surprises me,’’ Moss told USA Today Sports’ Josh Peter. “I’m surprised that it took them this long to figure him out. Because he’s been this way since he’s been 12 years old.’’
Pressed further on whether he thought his former stepson was guilty of the rape allegations levied against him by his former trainer and collegiate friend, Britney Taylor, Moss wouldn’t go so far as to take an official stance on the record.
"“I can’t tell you that he did what they said he did. But I know he’s very abusive to women. As far as just raping somebody, (Brown) just feels like he can have whatever he wants. He’s just empowered that way. So it doesn’t surprise me that this kind of allegation came out about him.’’"
The rape allegations and corresponding civil suit brought against Brown have capped off a tumultuous and drama-filled year for one of the NFL’s premier wide receivers. Brown griped about his role in Pittsburgh and his relationship with QB Ben Roethlisberger until he presumably got his wish and was traded by the Steelers to the Oakland Raiders in March.
During the offseason, Brown made headlines for burning his feet during a cryotherapy mishap in France, taking a hot air balloon into Raiders training camp, and refusing to part ways with the helmet he’s worn his entire career, despite the fact that the NFL and NFLPA no longer consider the helmet safe or approved for use. Brown also got into several public spats with team management over his absence from required activities, fines he incurred, and guarantees in his contract that were subsequently voided.
Asking for his release, Oakland finally capitulated, and hours later he landed with the defending Super Bowl champions. Just a day after Brown officially became a New England Patriot, the news story surfaced that Taylor had filed her lawsuit against him in a South Florida court.
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Whether or not Brown ends up playing a full 15-game season for the Patriots is a matter of hot debate. Some believe he could end up on the commissioner’s exempt list as early as next week after the NFL speaks with both him and Taylor about the case; others believe the league will let the justice system play out before disciplining him.