Former NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown, 37, sits in Essex County Jail in Newark, New Jersey, after U.S. Marshals captured him in Dubai and returned him to the United States. Brown faces a second-degree attempted murder chargefor allegedly firing a gun at a man following a celebrity boxing event in Miami on May 16.
Authorities say Brown grabbed a handgun from a security staffer and fired two shots at Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu, a man he had fought earlier that evening. Nantambu told investigators that one bullet grazed his neck. Police detained Brown briefly at the scene and released him later that night.
BREAKING
Antonio Brown in
custody after being extradited from Dubai on attempted murder charge six months on from gun-wielding brawl pic.twitter.com/4d5XRjripp— Simo Saadi🇺🇸🇲🇦 (@Simo7809957085) November 6, 2025
At the time of the incident, Brown posted on X, where he has roughly 2.5 million followers, saying multiple people tried to steal his jewelry and physically harm him. He added that police “temporarily detained me until they received my side of the story and then released me. I WENT HOME THAT NIGHT AND WAS NOT ARRESTED.” Brown also appeared on a livestream hosted by Adin Ross and said he would consult attorneys about pressing charges against the attackers.
Authorities issued an arrest warrant for Brown on June 11. In the following weeks, he continued posting on social media from Dubai and promoting content on Instagram. U.S. Marshals eventually located him overseas, apprehended him, and flew him to Newark Liberty International Airport, where officials booked him into Essex County Jail.
After being booked, Brown posted on X that he had handed over control of his social accounts and CTESPN to his team while focusing on his legal defense. He said he was “happy to showcase love & entertainment” and thanked supporters for their encouragement, using the hashtag #FREEAB.
On Friday, Brown appeared before Judge Barry in Newark and waived extradition, allowing Florida authorities to take custody. The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office coordinated with the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office to arrange his transfer. Brown will remain in Essex County Jail until Florida authorities pick him up.
A conviction for second-degree attempted murder carries a maximum 15-year prison sentence and up to a $10,000 fine.
Brown played 12 seasons in the NFL, primarily with the Pittsburgh Steelers, earning multiple All-Pro honors. He last played in 2021 for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, scoring a touchdown in the team’s Super Bowl victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. His career ended after a 2021 game against the New York Jets when he removed his jersey, shoulder pads, and gloves and ran off the field at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.
Over the years, Brown faced several legal issues, including battery charges involving a moving truck driver, multiple domestic violence allegations, and failure to pay child support. In 2023, he said he was dealing with CTE, a brain condition linked to repeated head injuries, though doctors cannot confirm the disease in someone who is still alive.
Brown remains in Essex County Jail, awaiting transfer to Miami to face the attempted murder charge. His case draws attention for the seriousness of the allegations and the contrast between his NFL fame and his current legal situation. Authorities have not set a transfer date.
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