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Antonio Brown says he’s still taking the field and suiting up for the first time with the New England Patriots on Sunday despite damaging allegations that he raped his former trainer.
—NFL star Antonio Brown could face criminal charges for rape allegation—
The NFL wide receiver is trying to carry on business as usual, but is dogged by a federal lawsuit that accused him of sexual assault and rape by his ex-fitness instructor Britney Taylor.
The alleged victim claims Brown violated her on three separate occasions between 2017 and 2018, The Daily Mail reports.
Brown addressed the allegations to his fans on Instagram Live on Thursday saying:
“No matter what they say, no matter what they hate, somebody’s still gotta work,” Brown told his 16,000 followers watching.
“In the time of crisis, all I ask is love, dedication and focus. The devil is going to try to bring you down when you get closer to your goals.
“The key is: don’t let him.”
On Wednesday, Brown’s teammate Tom Brady refused to touch the hem of this controversy when asked about it during his Wednesday press conference at Gillette Stadium, saying in part, “Things that don’t involve me, don’t involve me.”
Brown is reportedly set to play this weekend in Miami against the Dolphins.
Why Antonio Brown could face criminal charges
On Wednesday, the Pittsburgh District Attorney’s office said they will be reviewing the explosive allegations from Taylor who filed a federal lawsuit against Brown.
In an explosive report that unfolded on Tuesday in The New York Times Taylor outlined situations where she was Brown assaulted and raped her.
Taylor reportedly met Brown during her tenure as a student at Central Michigan, where they both attended. When she graduated, she claims Brown hired her to be his personal trainer.
This is a developing story.