TAMPA, Fla. — Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown is facing an active warrant for his arrest on a battery charge, according to the Tampa Police Department.
Around 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 28, Brown, 34, was involved in a verbal argument with a woman at a South Tampa home, police reported. Officers said the argument turned physical after Brown threw a shoe at the woman and attempted to "evict" her by locking her out of the home.
The police report reads that earlier this week, "an altercation between the victim and suspect, who have multiple children in common, the suspect exited the residence and threw a shoe at the victim striking her in the ponytail. The victim had no injuries but believed the shoe was meant for her head.
"The suspect would not open the door or come outside to speak with officers. The suspect also during this incident attempted to issue an informal eviction to the victim."
The Tampa Police Department requested a risk protection order to limit Brown's access to firearms — officers noted in the police report that there were two in the home — but it was denied by a judge.
The former Buc should be making his first court appearance Friday morning should he be arrested, a spokesperson for the 13th Judicial Circuit said in an email.
Brown's history with the Buccaneers was tumultuous; the team signed Brown to a one-year deal in October 2020 following an eight-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy since pleading no contest to felony battery and burglary charges after an incident with a moving truck driver in South Florida.
In December 2021, Brown was among two players suspended for what the league said was a misrepresentation of their vaccination status in violation of COVID protocols. News of the suspensions came weeks after a Tampa Bay Times report from Rick Stroud accused Brown of obtaining a fake COVID-19 vaccination card to dodge league rules.
Cameras captured Brown not long after his return during a game between the Bucs and the New York Jets in which he stripped off his jersey and shoulder pads. He then took off his undershirt and gloves and threw them into the stands before running into the locker room to exit the game.
Then-head coach Bruce Arians said of Brown after the incident that he "is no longer a Buc."
He became a free agent shortly after his separation from the Bucs.
If you or someone you know is being victimized by domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233. Here in Florida, you can report abuse 24/7 by calling the Department of Children and Families at 1-800-962-2873 or submitting a report online here.