Brown looking good in new Raiders helmet

Antonio Brown practised on Tuesday with his Oakland Raiders teammates. In a certified helmet.

This constitutes big news on the NFL landscape, as for nearly two weeks the petulant wide receiver has been kicking up a bigger temper tantrum than a terrible two flailing on the floor, refusing to open his mouth for carrots.

“He’s all in. That’s what he said,” Raiders head coach Jon Gruden told reporters after practice.

Did Brown really take part in practice? In a new helmet?

“Yes, he did,” a smiling Gruden said. “It’s a certified helmet, so he’s all in, ready to go. That’s my understanding. And I’m really happy to have him out here because he’s a great player.”

Reports Monday night said Brown has filed a second grievance with the NFL in his one-man fight this summer to have his old, outdated and less safe helmet approved for use this season.

An arbitrator early last week rejected his first grievance. He reportedly has since found a few obscure models of his favoured Schutt Air Advantage helmet that are less than 10 years old, which any football helmet in the U.S. must be in order to be certified.

Brown’s agent said his client found more than one made in 2014.

At any rate, the Air Advantage wasn’t listed by the NFL among seven helmets no longer permitted to be used after 2018.

How did the 31-year-old Brown — traded to Oakland in March by the happy-to-be-rid-of-him Pittsburgh Steelers — look in practice Tuesday with his frostbitten feet now apparently healed?

“Good. He’s really good,” Gruden said. “He has shown great retention with what we’re doing . ... He’s in great shape, he’s running hard, and running good routes.”

The Raiders play a pre-season game Thursday night at Winnipeg’s IG Field against Green Bay.