Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown, who is facing two lawsuits from an April incident in Florida, said Thursday that the claims made against him are false.
Brown allegedly yelled at security and threw items from the balcony of a South Florida apartment last spring, according to documents obtained by ESPN. Both lawsuits are for “damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of” attorney fees and interest.
A guardian of a 2-year-old boy is suing Brown for “intentional infliction of emotional distress and assault” after items flung from the 14th floor of The Mansions at Acqualina nearly hit the child, according to Miami-Dade County court filings. The child was with his grandfather near the pool area of the complex when large items — including two vases, an ottoman and other pieces of furniture — fell close to them, according to the filings, which say the child has experienced anxiety and trouble sleeping since.
The owner of the multimillion-dollar condo Brown leased also has filed a case against Brown for damages and breaching the apartment agreement.
“It has now been made public that two lawsuits containing false claims have been filed against me,” Brown said. “The facts will soon come out that prove my innocence. My focus will remain on football and I will not let the cases serve as a distraction.”
“We are aware of and will continue to monitor the civil suits” against Brown, NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Wednesday.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said at his Tuesday news conference that he has no knowledge of Brown’s situation. The organization will not be commenting on the matter, according to a spokesperson.
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told ESPN the league is closely monitoring the situation.
Brown’s attorney, Darren Heitner, who has filed a notice of appearance and a motion for extension on the case, declined to comment.