Brown wants back in NFL, but questions remain

Antonio Brown has become a very controversial figure the past few years. Whether it was his ugly divorce with the Steelers, his sordid time with the Raiders or his brief stint with the Patriots, Brown has worked his way out of the game.

But he hopes that all changes soon.

The 31-year old receiver recently resolved a legal case involving a moving truck driver, and, according to his attorney, he now wants back in the NFL.

“With this matter now resolved and behind him, Mr. Brown looks forward to continuing his cooperation with the NFL and resuming his phenomenal professional career,” Brown's agent Carson Hancock said. “He has achieved so much throughout his life from both a personal and professional standpoint, and will continue to do so.”

Brown has been posting his training workouts on his social media platforms, but there is still a huge question mark surrounding his potential return to football. He still faces a lawsuit accusing him of sexual assault and rape and could face league discipline for both matters.

Even if a team decides to go out on a limb and sign the troubled receiver, there is a good chance the league would place Brown on the Commissioner's Exempt List until his off-field issues are resolved.

What does that mean? This is according to NBC Sports:

"The Exempt List is a special player status available to clubs only in unusual circumstances. The List includes those players who have been declared by the Commissioner to be temporarily exempt from counting within the Active List limit. Only the Commissioner has the authority to place a player on the Exempt List; clubs have no such authority, and no exemption, regardless of circumstances, is automatic.

"The Commissioner also has the authority to determine in advance whether a player's time on the Exempt List will be finite or will continue until the Commissioner deems the exemption should be lifted and the player returned to the Active List."

One team who has been rumored to be interested in Brown's services has been the Seahawks. After video of Brown training with Lamar Jackson, the Ravens have been a common variable in this equation of his potential return.

After sitting out almost the entire 2019 season, and on the wrong side of 30, there is plenty to wonder about Brown's ability to return. Will he still be the same receiver he was when catching passes from Ben Roethlisberger? Or will he be nothing more than a headache for his new team?

There are still hurdles he has to go clear before finding his way back on an NFL field, but settling this most recent legal issue is a step in the right direction for the return of 'AB'.