MIAMI (AP) — Former NFL star wide receiver Antonio Brown plans to accept a plea deal on an attempted murder charge in Miami that avoids prison, his lawyer said Wednesday.
Brown is scheduled to appear in court next Wednesday to finalize the agreement. He faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted of the current attempted murder charge.
According to an arrest warrant, Brown is accused of firing two shots at a man he had previously fought with after a celebrity boxing match in Miami on May 16, 2025. The alleged victim, Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu, told investigators that one of the bullets grazed his neck. Brown reportedly grabbed the handgun from a security staffer before firing.
Brown has claimed on social media that he was acting in self-defense and that others were attempting to steal jewelry from him.
"This was not an easy decision," defense attorney Mark Eiglarsh said in a statement. "Antonio believes in his innocence. He believes strongly in his Stand Your Ground defense, and he believes he would ultimately prevail at trial. But when prosecutors put an offer on the table that transforms a potential decades-long prison sentence into a significantly reduced charge and probation, there was simply no way he could reasonably turn it down."
Brown, 38, spent 12 seasons in the NFL, achieving All-Pro status as a wide receiver. He last played in 2021 for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with whom he won a Super Bowl championship. He spent much of his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Throughout his NFL career, Brown recorded 928 receptions for more than 12,000 yards and scored 88 total touchdowns, including punt returns and one passing touchdown.
Brown was extradited in November 2025 from Dubai, where he has business interests, following the issuance of an arrest warrant for the attempted murder charge in June 2025.
Brown has a history of legal issues. He has previously faced accusations of battery of a moving truck driver, multiple domestic violence charges, and failure to pay child support, among other incidents. In a 2021 game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New York Jets, Brown famously removed his jersey, shoulder pads, and gloves before running off the field. This incident led to his release by the Buccaneers and effectively ended his professional football career.