Kicker defends self in 1 of 2 statements

FITTINGLY, Josh Brown’s departure has left more questions than answers. The Giants cut their embattled kicker on Tuesday, finally putting an end to a twomonth ordeal steeped in mystery and utter disbelief. But Brown’s response to the front office’s decision has only prolonged those feelings. The day commenced as such: At 12:39 p.m., just as the Giants’ locker room availability was coming to a close, ESPN’s Adam Schefter released a statement from Brown. At this point, the Giants had yet to make their announcement, but the wording of the statement indicated a move was on the horizon.

“I am sorry that my past has called into question the character or integrity of The New York Giants, (owner John) Mara or any of those who have supported me along the way,” Brown wrote in the statement, which Schefter posted to his Facebook page. “I have taken measures to get help so that I may be the voice of change, not a statistic. It is important to share that I never struck my wife, and never would.

“Abuse takes many forms, and is not a gray area. Through the past several years I have worked to identify and rectify my own behaviors. The road to rehabilitation is a journey and a constant modification of a way of life. My journey will continue forever as a person determined to leave a positive legacy and I embrace the opportunities to show and speak about what has helped me to be that man. In the interim, I am cooperating with the Giants and the NFL. Thank you to everyone that has supported me, I will not let you down.”

The statement read as part apology and part defense. It’s important to note that Brown apologized to the Giants and Mara, but not to his wife, Molly, who suffered through years of emotional and physical abuse.

At 2:31 p.m., the Giants announced they had cut Brown in a release, which included a statement from Mara. Five minutes later, the Giants sent out their own version of Brown’s statement that included much of the same wording with some key differences.

The Giants’ version of the statement has no mention of Molly or Josh claiming he never “struck” his wife. Why Brown would release two different statements is anybody’s guess. But it certainly was calculated.

After the Giants realized the existence of two different statements, a spokesman told reporters that Brown had filed his statement to the team on Monday night. The Giants printed the statement as it was written.