Brown will face no criminal conviction under the plea deal, receiving a three-year probation sentence from Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - JANUARY 02: Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown (81) on the field in a Balenciaga jacket and a diamond Bee necklace prior to the National Football League game between the New York Jets and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on January 2, 2022 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ.
Antonio Brown won't serve jail time after reaching a plea deal(Image: Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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MIAMI — Former NFL star Antonio Brown pleaded guilty Friday to aggravated assault with a firearm stemming from a 2025 shooting outside a celebrity boxing event in Miami.
Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez handed down a sentence of three years' probation, during which the ex-NFL star must attend weekly counseling sessions and is prohibited from possessing a firearm, along with additional conditions.
Under the terms of the plea deal, Brown will have no criminal conviction and may seek early termination of his probation near the midpoint of his sentence, provided he fulfills all requirements.
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The reduced charge, entered in Miami state court, spares the All-Pro wide receiver from serving any prison time.
Brown had originally faced attempted murder charges after police alleged he seized a handgun from a security staffer at the event and fired two shots at a man he had previously been involved in a physical altercation with.
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 26: Antonio Brown #81 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looks on during the first half of the game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on December 26, 2021 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
Brown has not played an NFL game since January 2022(Image: Jared C. Tilton, Getty Images)
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Brown maintained he acted in self-defense, claiming others had been attempting to steal his jewelry during the confrontation.
Florida's Stand Your Ground law permits individuals who reasonably believe they face death or serious bodily harm to use deadly force in self-defense without any obligation to retreat.
The 38-year-old had faced a maximum sentence of 30 years behind bars had he been convicted on the original attempted murder charge.
Brown spent 12 years in the NFL, the majority with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and claimed a Super Bowl title with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021 alongside quarterback Tom Brady.
That same season, however, Brown effectively brought his career to a halt when he inexplicably stripped off his jersey, shoulder pads and gloves before storming off the field mid-game. The Buccaneers cut him following the incident.
Brown has faced a string of legal troubles in recent years.
He was previously accused of battery against a moving truck driver, confronted multiple domestic violence charges, failure to pay child support, and a number of other incidents.
Brown was extradited in November 2025 from Dubai, where he has business interests, after an arrest warrant on the attempted murder charge was issued in June of the same year.