Antonio Brown to accept Miami plea deal that would avert possible 30-year sentence

Former NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown plans to accept a plea deal in Miami to resolve an attempted murder charge, his lawyer said on Wednesday. The deal is to be finalised at a court appearance next Wednesday.

Brown, 38, faced up to 30 years in prison if convicted on the attempted murder charge, the statement noted. He is accused of grabbing a handgun from a member of security after a celebrity boxing match in Miami in May 2025 and, according to an arrest warrant, firing two shots at a man he had gotten into a fistfight with earlier.

Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu told investigators that one of the bullets grazed his neck. Nantaumbu’s attorney, Richard L Cooper, said this month that his client has forgiven Brown and would no longer take part in the case; Cooper told ESPN on Wednesday: "We believe that the ends of justice are accomplished with this plea deal, and my client wishes Mr Brown good health."

Brown’s lawyer, Mark Eiglarsh, said the former player would accept a charge of aggravated assault as part of the plea. Eiglarsh added in a statement: "They made [Brown] an offer he couldn’t refuse."

Speaking to ESPN, Eiglarsh described the consequences tied to the plea, saying: "There’s no prison, there’s no jail, there’s no house arrest. There’s only straight probation," and listing other absent conditions: "And no alcohol or drug evaluation, no psychological evaluation, no letter of apology, no community service hours, no fines. Just stay away from the victim."

Eiglarsh also explained the reasoning behind taking the deal, stating: "There is a profound difference between believing you can win a case and deciding that you and your family cannot afford to spend another year, or potentially several years, wearing an ankle monitor and fighting it."

The Miami native played 12 NFL seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, catching 928 passes for 12,291 yards and 83 touchdowns over 146 career games. He was named to the Pro Bowl seven times and earned first-team All-Pro honors in four consecutive seasons from 2014 to 2017.

Brown won a Super Bowl with Tampa Bay in the 2020 season, catching a touchdown pass from Tom Brady in the game, and his playing career ended in 2021 after he removed his jersey and jogged off the field mid-play.

Brown is scheduled to appear in Miami court next Wednesday to make the plea deal final.