Super Bowl 2020: NFL wants to help Antonio Brown, says Roger Goodell

By Liam Blackburn in Miami

Super Bowl 2020: NFL wants to help Antonio Brown, says Roger Goodell image

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell vowed to help Antonio Brown "get back on track" following the wide receiver's latest controversy.

Seven-time Pro Bowler Brown has not played a down in the NFL since September, when he was cut by the New England Patriots after just 11 days amid allegations of sexual assault and rape.

The NFL launched an investigation into those accusations and suggested Brown, who had a try-out with the New Orleans Saints in December, would be placed on the commissioner's exempt list - barring him from playing until the probe was concluded - should he sign for another team.

Last week an arrest warrant was issued for the 31-year-old on charges of burglary with battery and criminal mischief, with a judge freeing Brown from house arrest on Tuesday.

Goodell was asked for an update on the NFL's investigation into Brown on Wednesday at his annual pre-Super Bowl address, and he was keen to stress the player's mental state is of paramount importance.

"I think [with] Antonio's situation, I think the first thing, for all of us, is to talk about the well-being of Antonio, to understand what Antonio is going through," Goodell said.

"We don't talk about the wellness of our players publicly but I would tell you that you can be sure that the NFL and NFLPA have a tremendous amount of resources that are available to all players. They are going to be made available to Antonio.

"We want to help get him on the right track and get him in a position where he is in a zone where he thinks he can be successful in life.

"We are confident that can happen. We want to work to do that. From our standpoint, that's the first step - making sure we're doing everything to help Antonio."

By Liam Blackburn in Miami