Antonio Brown released by the New England Patriots

The New England Patriots released Antonio Brown on Friday, just 11 days after they originally signed him to the roster following a brief stint in Oakland.

And just like that, the Antonio Brown era in New England is over.

One of the most physically-gifted and talented wide receivers in the NFL is once again without a job thanks to complications stemming from off-the-field allegations and character concerns. His entire stint with the Patriots lasted less than two weeks total, and he only played in one game for the team: a Week 2 victory over the Miami Dolphins in which Brown caught four of eight passes for 56 yards and a touchdown.

In the wake of a second accuser stepping forward with allegations of sexual misconduct against Brown – his ex-trainer Britney Taylor filed a civil suit against him on September 10 alleging three separate incidents of sexual assault/misconduct as well – the Patriots made the decision to release Brown, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss.

It’s yet unknown what action, if any, the NFL plans to take regarding Brown moving forward. Taylor reportedly met with league offices for 10 hours on Monday to present evidence and testimony regarding her claims against the wide receiver. The NFL was also reportedly contacted Thursday by Brown’s second accuser, who says she was sent intimidating text messages after her anonymous contributions to a Sports Illustrated article detailing many of Brown’s alleged past incidents and patterns of misconduct.

According to ESPN, there are “more interviews and information gathering being conducted now beyond Taylor” by the NFL.

The expectation in some circles is that Antonio Brown could end up being placed on the commissioner’s exempt list, which would prevent him from playing again for a team while his investigation remains ongoing. The only potential drawback with that decision would be the precedent it would set between the NFL, the NFLPA, and the players themselves – as yet, no player has ever been placed on the exempt list for a “civil” matter as opposed to a “criminal” complaint.

Brown is still an incredibly productive football player in the prime of his career, but it appears ever more unlikely that his career will continue forward with any sense of normalcy. Until and unless he is cleared of all allegations and character concerns, it might be hard for any NFL team to take a chance on him again.

On Twitter, Brown posted a message thanking the Patriots organization for the opportunity. He tagged the team’s official account and shared a pair of images, one of him with head coach Bill Belichick and one of him with quarterback Tom Brady.

The New England Patriots also released an official statement regarding the roster move:

“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.”

It’s unknown who exactly made the final call regarding Brown’s status within the Patriots organization. Both Brady and Belichick had previously deflected most questions regarding Brown’s off-field issues and uncertain playing status given the league’s investigation.