Antonio Brown Shuts Down $25M ESPN Host Over Black Coaches Debate Amid Jerod Mayo’s Firing

“Making money off my sweat and blood F— the @nfl I’ll never play in that s— treat black people the worse! Clear my name and go f— your self.” In 2019, Antonio Brown said he would quit the NFL and also accused the league of racial discrimination.

Although he later expressed his determination to play further, his remarks echoed through the system. And since then, black and white have been one of the major topics for the league. Nevertheless, when Stephen A. Smith brought the same chapter to the league, Antonio Brown didn’t like it.

During a reaction segment on “First Take,” after the New England Patriots fired Jerod Mayo, Smith lamented the HC was not given a chance to prove himself. And guess what? The ESPN host associated it with Black Friday, a day observed in the NFL. But this side didn’t sit well with Antonio Brown, who shared a tweet on X saying: “Or maybe it’s because Mayo lost the locker room in New England…..”

According to former NFL player Antonio Brown, the reasoning behind Jerod Mayo’s firing is reportedly not because of his complexion. Instead, it’s because of his arguably poor performance and lack of faith from the locker room, after a 4-13 record in 2024. Hence, Brown shut down the $25 million ESPN host with his tweet on Tuesday.

During that “First Take” episode, Smith quipped, “This is about Mike Vrabel. That’s who they wanted. No question about it.”

He admitted Vrabel is a good option for the Patriots, but spoke of his concerns. He said, “They call it Black Monday for a reason. This certainly typifies it. I don’t know why it’s not called White Monday. Doug Pederson got fired from Jacksonville. He deserved that firing. Jerod Mayo clearly was not given a lengthy enough opportunity considering what Bill Belichick left him with from a talent perspective, considering the record considering the way the team performed.”

Yeah, indeed, they didn’t give Jerod Mayo another chance to prove his worth and build a strong team. But, what Antonio Brown highlighted is that they can’t sleep on the side.

Multiple reasons lead to Jerod Mayo’s dismissal

Shortly after wrapping up a 4-13 record with a Week 18 win, head coach Jerod Mayo’s firing by Robert Kraft and the Patriots sent shockwaves. Now, it’s obviously because of this arguably poor record. But wait, there’s more to it.

One reason could probably be due to his substandard public speaking. This is evident in what he said during the offseason, wherein he mentioned that quarterback Drake Maye outshined Jerod Mayo.

But later in the regular games, he brought Jacoby Brissett on the field. This baffled many, as they questioned Mayo’s decisions and public speaking. In addition, after a 32-16 loss against the Jaguars in London, Mayo called his team “soft,” which fumed many players in the locker room. In fact, former coach Bill Belichick and legendary QB Tom Brady too didn’t agree with this.

Nevertheless, everything just mixed and made it worse for the HC. Hence, the Patriots fired him on Sunday, January 5, 2025.