Brown signs with Patriots after Raiders decide to cut him

Antonio Brown signed with the New England Patriots hours after the Oakland Raiders cut him, going from the NFL’s cellar to the defending Super Bowl champions on Saturday despite wearing out his welcome with two teams in one offseason.

Brown had been scheduled to earn up to $50 million from Oakland over the three-year deal. Instead, the Patriots guar

anteed him $9 million this season, with the potential to earn up to $15 million.

Brown posted a picture of himself in a Patriots uniform on Instagram shortly after ESPN reported the signing. The post was soon liked by New England receiver Julian Edelman.

New England opens the season against the Steelers tonight, when they will raise their sixth Super Bowl championship banner.

Antonio Brown signed with the New England Patriots hours after the Oakland Raiders cut him, going from the NFL’s cellar to the defend- ing Super Bowl champions Saturday despite wearing out his welcome with two teams in one offseason.

Brown’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, confirmed the signing to The Associated Press. Brown had been scheduled to earn up to $50 million from Oakland over the three-year deal. Instead, the Patriots guaranteed him $9 million this season, with the potential to earn up to $15 million. Brown posted a picture of himself in a Patriots uniform on Instagram shortly after ESPN reported the signing. The post was soon liked by New England receiver Julian Edelman.

A Patriots spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

New England opens the season against another of Brown’s former teams, the Steelers, tonight, when the Patriots will raise a sixth Super Bowl championship banner.

Meantime, the Raiders began to wrap their brains around the Brown experience and were unified by the purpose of moving on without him.

The Raiders released Brown at his request Saturday, one day after he apologized in front of the entire team for an on-field shouting match with Mike Mayock during the week.

“We feel how everybody else feels,” wide receiver Tyrell Williams said. “It’s been wild, it’s been crazy, it’s been unexpected. But we’re going to go out there and play regardless.”

Raiders coach Jon Gruden, who publicly backed Brown at every turn through issues with his feet after a cryotherapy mishap and then through problems with the NFL over his helmet. Through the 44 days since the start of training camp, Gruden said the Raiders “exhausted everything and tried to make it work” and he expressed no bitterness toward the wide receiver.

“I was very hopeful about what he could bring here, unfortunately, that’s not going to happen,” Gruden said.