The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Brown returns to Raiders after absence for injured feet
NAPA, CALIF. >> Antonio Brown walked onto the Raiders practice field in his familiar No. 84 jersey surrounded by cameras and received warm greetings from teammates.
His weeklong absence to deal with his frostbitten feet and a grievance with the NFL over the use of a helmet has ended and now he’s eager to get back on the field as soon as he can.
“I’m extremely grateful to be here,” Brown said during a short news conference Aug. 13. “I’ve been dealing with a lot of adversity. I’m excited to be back and see my teammates and get in the groove of things.”
Brown has not participated in a full practice for the Raiders after starting training camp on the nonfootball injury list with injuries to his feet that reportedly came from frostbite suffered while getting cryotherapy treatment in France. Agent Drew Rosenhaus called the injuries on Brown’s feet “brutal” and Brown left camp last week to meet with a specialist.
Brown gave no timeline for when he would be healthy enough to practice, saying only to “stay tuned.”
Coach Jon Gruden said he didn’t know whether Brown would play in an exhibition game but was confident he’d be healthy enough for the season opener Sept. 9 against Denver.
“I feel a lot better working toward 100%,” Brown said. “It’s been a process with the feet. Any time you have a lot of blisters, it’s hard to change direction and run and do what I do naturally. I’ve been away getting a lot of work. I’m excited just to move forward.”