Who is Antonio Brown? Former NFL star held by US authorities months after Miami event firing

Former NFL player Antonio Brown was captured by US authorities on Thursday, four months after he allegedly opened fire at a crowded event in Miami, Florida.

Miami police confirmed the ex-NFL player's detention, according to NBC, but declined to divulge details on when and where the officers took the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver into custody.

“Miami Police confirm that US Marshals have apprehended Antonio Brown and that he has been extradited to the US. No date has been set for his transfer to Miami-Dade County,” Miami police spokesperson Mike Vega said.

Authorities had been looking for Antonio Brown in connection with a shooting on 16 May this year, which took place outside an amateur boxing event in the neighbourhood of Little Haiti in Miami. Videos allegedly showed the former NFL player getting involved in a melee before gunshots rang out.

Although the former NFL player went on the run to avoid authorities, he remained active on social media. Last week, he even posted a promotional video, showing himself at an undisclosed location behind the wheel of a black Lamborghini.

Who is Antonio Brown?

The son of former professional American football player "Touchdown" Eddie Brown and Adrianne Moss, Antonio Brown grew up in Miami.

He briefly attended Alcorn State University, where coaches first recognised his football talent. He then received a scholarship to play at Florida International University, but was soon expelled following an altercation with security. He went on to join Central Michigan University and played college football for the Central Michigan Chippewas.

After two seasons with the Central Michigan Chippewas, the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Brown in 2010. He went on to play a part in at least 12 NFL seasons.

During his NFL career, Brown appeared to be on a Hall of Fame trajectory, leading the league in receiving yards in 2014 and 2017, and topping touchdown catches in 2018.

The 37-year-old also caught a scoring pass in the 2021 Super Bowl, helping the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Kansas City Chiefs to the title.

Brown played for the Pittsburgh Steelers (2010-2018), had a brief stint with the Oakland Raiders, and joined the New England Patriots in 2019.

In 2020, he joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and helped them win the Super Bowl the next year. However, Brown's career ended in spectacular fashion after he removed his jersey and stormed off the field after a disagreement with his head coach during a match against the New York Jets in January 2022.

Despite the explosive end to his career, Brown continues to have a large following on social media and has since become known for his hot takes.

Most recently, the former wide back inserted himself into the conversation around the election of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Following Mamdani's win in the NYC mayoral election, Brown posted a short clip of the newly-appointed mayor and appeared to call out Elon Musk.

“Double Standard @elon musk, (sic)” wrote the former NFL player, tagging the Tesla and SpaceX CEO.