Antonio Brown reportedly lost his endorsement deal with helmet manufacturer Xenith this week after newfound sexual assault allegations surfaced against the embattled NFL wide receiver.
Brown is accused of raping and sexually assaulting Britney Taylor, his former personal trainer, on three separate occasions between 2017 and 2018. Taylor is set to meet with the NFL next week about the lawsuit and the allegations, which were filed in federal court in Florida earlier this week.
PATRIOTS, RAIDERS UNAWARE OF ANTONIO BROWN LAWSUIT AS DISCUSSIONS WERE ONGOING: REPORT
ESPN football writer Adam Schefter was the first to report that the helmet manufacturer, Xenith, has decided to end its relationship with Brown. The New England Patriots player announced earlier this month — while still a member of the Oakland Raiders — that he would wear the Xenith Shadow during the 2019 season.
“We look forward to seeing the Xenith Shadow worn by football athletes at all levels of play this fall,” the company said Friday, according to Schefter’s tweet.
Other Xenith endorsers include Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb and Buffalo Bills running back Frank Gore.
Brown joined the Patriots last weekend, ending a tumultuous six-month tenure with the Raiders that stemmed from an NFL ban on his preferred helmet.
Brown briefly refused to practice and play this summer after the NFL informed him that he would be unable to wear the Schutt Air Advantage, a discontinued model he had worn through his entire career. The helmet is no longer certified to meet the league’s safety standards.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
He filed two unsuccessful grievances in a bid to reverse the decision, arguing that newer model helmets interfered with his vision while attempting to catch passes. At one point, Brown asked the public to supply an Air Advantage helmet manufactured within the last 10 years in a bid to skirt the NFL’s ruling, but league officials declined to certify the helmet for in-game use.
The Raiders fined Brown roughly $54,000 for missing multiple practices this summer amid the helmet dispute. The Patriots released a statement saying that the team is aware of the allegations and will monitor the league’s investigation. Brown is expected to play in his first game with the Patriots on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins.
Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos and Fox Business’ Thomas Barrabi contributed to this report.
