Jon Gruden Defends Antonio Brown Amid Polarizing Foot, Helmet Drama

Jon Gruden wants you to believe that the Antonio Brown situation isn’t a big deal.

Whether to believe him is up to you, however.

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For those unaware, Brown still is away from the Oakland Raiders as he deals with frostbite on his feet, an injury he reportedly suffered after failing to wear socks in a cryotherapy chamber. Furthermore, the star receiver has threatened to quit football if the NFL doesn’t allow him to wear his old helmet.

(You can click here for a must-read thread about Brown’s helmet saga.)

If true, this is some objectively detestable behavior from a preposterously rich athlete who cried his way out of Pittsburgh during the offseason. Furthermore, this whole drama must infuriate the Raiders, who traded draft picks for the 31-year-old and gave him a huge pay raise.

Alas, Gruden insists the team has Brown’s back.

“I support this guy. I think that’s what needs to be said,” the Raiders head coach said after his team’s 14-3 preseason win over the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday. “I don’t know what anybody’s writing or what anybody thinks, but this foot injury wasn’t his fault. This was a total accident. It really wasn’t his fault, and it’s a serious injury. I know that some people are (joking about) it, but it’s really not a laughing matter.

“The guy is hurt, he didn’t do anything wrong, and the helmet thing is a personal matter to him.”

Added Gruden: “He has a strong feeling about what he’s worn on his head, and we’re supporting him. We understand the league’s position as well, so we’re in a tough spot, and we hope Antonio is here soon because he’s exciting to be around. I’m excited. I’ve got some plays for him. I hope we can start calling them.”

Again, believe Gruden at your own risk — we’re talking to you, fantasy owners.

Honestly, we just hope the next episode of “Hard Knocks” offers more insight into this mess.