Antonio Brown Pleads Guilty to Assault
The former NFL wide receiver received three years of probation for a 2025 shooting incident in Miami.
By Fatima Saleh ·
Former NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown pleaded guilty on Friday to aggravated assault with a firearm. The charge relates to a 2025 incident where he fired two shots outside a celebrity boxing event in Miami. The plea represents a reduction from the original attempted murder count.
Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez sentenced Brown to three years of probation in Miami state court. Conditions include weekly counseling sessions and a prohibition on possessing firearms. Brown entered his plea in a low voice while wearing a black leather jacket and white pants. The judge asked him to speak louder during the brief proceeding.
Defense attorney Mark Eiglarsh stated the team is extremely grateful the case is resolved. He noted that Brown faced a potential 30-year prison sentence with a 20-year mandatory minimum. Eiglarsh described the plea deal as an offer that was too good to refuse. The reduced charge allows Brown to avoid both prison time and a criminal conviction.
Police previously reported that Brown grabbed a handgun from a security staffer and shot a man following a fistfight. Brown maintained he was defending himself as others tried to steal his jewelry. The victim, Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu, was grazed in the neck and attended the hearing. Nantambu has said he would not cooperate with police and does not want to press charges.
Prosecutor Howard Rosen explained that the state sought the reduced charge due to questions about Brown's intent. Rosen said the victim was walking away when the shots were fired. Rosen emphasized that the agreement allowed Brown to receive therapeutic treatment rather than having the case disappear entirely. He described the resolution as being in the best interest of all parties.
Brown, 38, was extradited from Dubai in November 2025 after an arrest warrant was issued in June of that year. He has business interests in the city. The All-Pro spent 12 years in the NFL, winning a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021. The team released him the following season after he removed his gear and left the field during a game.
Outside the courtroom, Brown thanked God and said he wanted to return to his family. He declined to answer other questions. Nantambu's lawyer, Richard Cooper, did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on Friday.
