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Multiple outlets reported that Brown attended
team meetings, although a walk-through practice was apparently
canceled.
His attendance came the day after Raiders general manager Mike
Mayock said it was time for the All-Pro wideout "to be all-in or
all-out."
Brown has had only one full-speed practice this preseason, in
part because he was recovering from foot blisters caused by a
cryotherapy mishap and lately because of his helmet issue.
His old helmet is no longer approved for NFL use because it is
more than 10 years old, and when Brown used social media to find
a newer version of his favored model -- the Schutt AiR Advantage
-- it failed NFL testing.
Brown's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told ESPN's Get Up! on Monday
that his client "wants to be part of the team, he wants to
practice, but he'd also like to do it with the helmet he's worn
his entire life."
"He's a wide receiver. He gets hit across the middle. People are
trying to take his head off," Rosenhaus said. "He's a big
target. You talk about how many catches he's had over the last
six years, for example, this is his life. He's risking
everything. He's got a family. He's had a concussion before.
This helmet has kept him safe. He's had brutal hits.
"We're just trying to find a way to work it out. We've worked
very closely with the Raiders, we've worked very closely with
the NFL, but I hope people can appreciate, this is not a simple
issue. The helmet is the most important piece of equipment and
he's had the same one every single snap he's played in his
football career. This is a major issue for him."
The Raiders acquired the seven-time Pro Bowl selection from the
Pittsburgh Steelers in a trade in March and later signed him to
a three-year, $50.125 million contract.
Brown, 31, caught at least 100 passes and exceeded 1,200
receiving yards in each of the past six seasons with the
Steelers. He has appeared in 130 games with Pittsburgh from
2010-18, catching 837 passes for 11,207 yards and 74 touchdowns.
--Field Level Media
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