A Former Albany Empire QB Talks About Playing for Owner Antonio Brown and the Details are Even More Bonkers Than You'd Imagine

I might be accused of being overly cynical for thinking that Antonio Brown's tenure as owner of his own football franchise would be tumultuous at least and absolute chaotic at most. But I disagree. I'm not so much a pessimist as I am someone who can watch something happen every day for a dozen or so years and notice a pattern developing. 

So when the press conference introducing Brown as the new owner of the Albany Empire was a bit of a shambles:

... I naturally jumped to the conclusion that this was a harbinger of the craziness to come. 

All I asked is that you stop me when I say something that isn't true. And no one has yet. But even I didn't imagine it going off the rails as far as it did, as quickly as it did. Three weeks into Brown's rookie season, to be exact. I posted this on May 1st:

Times-Union - The Albany Empire haven’t paid players or coaches since April 21, according to one of the team’s top players.

Coach Damon Ware confirmed the lack of payment and said Monday that he has left the team.

Ware, along with wide receiver Darius Prince, quarterback Sam Castronova, lineman Brandon Sesay, defensive back Dwayne Hollis, linebacker Nick Haag and lineman Melvin Hollins were among the Empire personnel who did not receive room keys for the team’s Albany hotel. The acting team president said they have been suspended from the team. Prince, last season’s Most Valuable Player, currently has a league-leading 10 touchdowns. Castronova averages 241.3 passing yards, also a league-high. Hollis and Haag are the team’s defensive captains, and Sesay (also a captain) was playing his fifth season in Albany. …

[N]o one received direct deposits on April 28 ahead of Sunday’s game, and the team played at the Carolina Cobras without pay, one player said, speaking on condition of anonymity. 

After the Cobra victory, Brown tweeted “Who’s the best players in the country who want to play for @thealbanyempir.”

The team also posted to Instagram that it was looking for a head coach, wide receiver, defensive back, lineman and backup quarterback — though Castronova was the only quarterback rostered.

Ware is the second head coach to leave the team this season, following the departure of Tom Menas, who won two titles with the Empire. Menas was let go just before the season’s start.

Now we know more, thanks to Castronova's appearance on the Sideline Spectator podcast. It's a good interview. He talks about his time with his current team, the Jacksonville Sharks. Describes winning the MVP of the National Arena League Championship Game for Albany in 2022 and so on. Then at around the 22-minute mark, gets into the details of his time playing for Brown, whom he calls "the craziest person I've ever met."

Some of the highlights:

--He explains that when Brown told everyone he'd bought 95% of the Empire, "right off the rip, he was lying to people." His original stake was 47.5%, while another 47.5% and the final 5% belonged to two other owners. 

--Brown ended up buying the other 47.5% for $1, allegedly because that partner was sick of losing money and just wanted to cut his losses. But added that Brown blackmailed him into selling, by posting photos of the guy supposedly participating in "a union firebombing" in 2008 on his Instagram Stories, complete with clown emojis.

--The first game of the season was played under previous ownership, which Albany won 70-33 and everything was normal. Brown officially took over by Game 2, a last second loss. During the game, one Empire player injured his ankle, and was taken to Urgent Care. When the trainers went to pay the $150 co-pay, Brown's card was declined. That was the first sign things were about to go sideways. It wouldn't be the last.

--Soon thereafter, all the players discovered their paychecks hadn't been deposited. The players threatened not to go to the next game, at Orlando, unless they got paid. Brown insisted it would all be cleared up. "I swear the money is coming," he said. So they made the trip and played.

--The Orlando game was another last minute loss, ending with the Empire's final drive failing at the goal line on a batted pass. No sooner did they get on the bus for the trip home to Albany, then Brown called the head coach - his second, since he'd fired the guy who'd won the championship the year before - to chew him out. "You guys suck!" he screamed. The coach screamed back "Say that to my face, motherfucker!" and Brown promptly fired him. That was 10 minutes into a 12-hour bus ride.

--Team captains reached out to Brown to protest the firing, but Castronova wanted no part of that conversation and stayed out of it. Nevertheless, back at the team hotel in Albany, he left his key in his room and asked the front desk for another. He was told they couldn't. AB had given them a list of eight people whose rooms were canceled, and the quarterback was one of them. "What is going on?" he says. "I haven't even talked to this clown!" 

--After finding out what had happened, Castronova's father texted Brown to plead his son's case, saying there was no reason to do this. "You're son is fired, Bro," came the reply. "Tell him to make $2K a week elsewhere."

--Eddie Brown, Antonio's dad and Arena League legend, was a team VP who was around for the first two nights, and was never seen by any of the players again. But he reached out to Castronova saying he was planning to take over as head coach and was looking forward to having Castronova as his quarterback. Castronova told him everything that had taken place and said he'd never play for his son again. "This dude is crazy," he said. "I understand," Eddie said. 

--The next plea came from the NAL commissioner, who said Brown wanted him back. In all, Castronova said he heard from three different people asking him to play for the Empire again, none of whom was named Antonio Brown. In fact, they never spoke.

--Since then, Brown hired another coach and fired him, then brought him back as "an apprentice." He floated it out there that he was going to suit up and play. Sold a bunch of tickets to people who want to see an NFL Pro Bowler in the NAL, then stood on the sidelines in his street clothes the whole time. According to Castronova, Brown Livestreams every, single thing he ever does. And "Has never told the truth since he's been there. 

To that, I'll add my own note. When he's not actively ruining the careers of guys eking out a living trying to extend their football careers another few years for $2,000 a week, Brown is on Twitter fighting with his fellow owners who actually give half a shit about football played on turf in hockey arenas:

So I stand corrected about everything I said before about how Antonio Brown's time as a professional owner was going to be insane. It is exponentially crazier than even I could ever imagine. And it's still only just begun.