Former NFL star Antonio Brown has agreed to be extradited to Miami, where he faces an attempted murder charge stemming from a May 16 shooting incident, officials confirmed Friday.
The 37-year-old, arrested by U.S. Marshals in Dubai and held at Essex County Jail in New Jersey, waived extradition during a brief court appearance. “Brown is back at the Essex County Jail in Newark where he is awaiting pickup by Florida authorities,” said Carmen Martin, spokeswoman for the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.
According to the arrest affidavit, Brown allegedly grabbed a handgun from a security guard following a celebrity boxing match and fired two shots at Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu, a man he had reportedly fought earlier that evening. One bullet reportedly grazed Nantambu’s neck, and social media footage appeared to show Brown advancing with a weapon and firing at close range.
Initially, police did not identify a victim, delaying Brown’s arrest until May 21, when Nantambu gave a full statement naming Brown as the shooter.
After the incident, Brown posted online claiming he acted in self-defense, saying he was “jumped by multiple individuals” trying to steal his jewelry.
If convicted, the second-degree attempted murder charge could carry up to 15 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Once a seven-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl LV champion with Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Brown’s career — which included 928 receptions and over 12,000 yards — unraveled after multiple off-field controversies.
His 2021 mid-game exit during a Buccaneers-Jets matchup, when he stripped off his jersey and walked off the field, effectively ended his NFL career.
Now, as Brown returns to Florida to face the most serious charges of his life, the onetime football superstar confronts a legal battle as turbulent as his final years in the sport.
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