Former NFL star Antonio Brown reaches a plea deal reducing his attempted murder charge to aggravated assault, avoiding a potential 30-year prison term.
Former NFL star Antonio Brown has reached a plea agreement that dramatically changes the stakes in his Miami criminal case.
Brown will accept a reduced charge of aggravated assault in connection with a 2025 shooting outside a celebrity boxing event, according to his attorney. The agreement is expected to keep Brown out of prison and replace the possibility of a decades-long sentence with probation.
Brown had faced an attempted second-degree murder charge that carried a potential sentence of 20 to 30 years in prison if he had been convicted.
Antonio Brown Accepts Reduced Charge
Brown’s attorney said prosecutors presented an agreement that significantly reduces the original charge.
Under the reported terms, Brown is expected to receive three years of probation, with the possibility of ending probation early after half of the term is completed. The agreement also reportedly includes a withholding of adjudication, meaning Brown would not be classified as a convicted felon.
A court hearing is scheduled for September 30, when the agreement is expected to be formally addressed.
Brown Still Maintains His Innocence
Despite agreeing to the plea, Brown has continued to maintain that he acted in self-defense.
His attorney said Brown believed strongly in his defense under Florida’s Stand Your Ground law and believed he could have prevailed at trial.
The decision instead reflects the difference between continuing to fight a case with the possibility of a decades-long prison sentence and accepting a deal that would allow him to resolve the matter without incarceration.
What Happened Outside the Miami Boxing Event?
The case stems from an altercation outside a celebrity boxing event in Miami on May 16, 2025.
According to the arrest warrant, Brown was involved in a physical confrontation with Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu before allegedly taking a handgun from a security guard and firing two shots.
Nantambu told investigators that one of the bullets grazed his neck. Brown’s defense has presented a different account, saying he was protecting himself during the confrontation.
Alleged Victim No Longer Wants to Participate
The case took an important turn earlier in September when Nantambu’s attorney said his client had forgiven Brown and no longer wished to participate in the prosecution.
That development came as prosecutors considered how to proceed with the case.
The reported plea agreement now substantially reduces the potential consequences Brown faced from the original attempted murder charge.
Brown Was Arrested in Dubai
Brown did not remain in the United States after the shooting.
An arrest warrant was issued in June 2025, and U.S. Marshals later apprehended Brown in Dubai in November. He was subsequently extradited to Florida to face the criminal case.
After returning to Florida, Brown pleaded not guilty and was released on bond with restrictions that included GPS monitoring.
His legal team also pursued a defense under Florida’s Stand Your Ground law.
Plea Deal Ends Threat of Decades in Prison
The proposed agreement represents a major change from the potential punishment Brown originally faced.
The attempted murder charge carried a possible 20-year mandatory minimum and could have resulted in a sentence of up to 30 years if Brown had been convicted.
Under the reported agreement, there will instead be no prison sentence, with probation serving as the primary punishment.
Antonio Brown’s NFL Career
Brown spent 12 seasons in the NFL and established himself as one of the league’s most productive wide receivers.
He played primarily for the Pittsburgh Steelers before later joining the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Brown won a Super Bowl with Tampa Bay during the 2020 season and finished his NFL career with 928 receptions for more than 12,000 receiving yards.
His last NFL appearance came in 2021.
A Dramatic Chapter Beyond Football
Since leaving the NFL, Brown has remained in the public spotlight largely because of legal, financial and personal controversies.
The Miami case became one of the most serious legal challenges he has faced, with the original charge exposing him to a potentially lengthy prison sentence.
The plea agreement now offers a path toward resolving that case without incarceration.
Brown Awaits Final Court Approval
Although the agreement has been announced by Brown’s attorney, the next major step is the scheduled court hearing.
Brown is expected to appear in Miami on September 30 to formally address the plea arrangement.
Until then, the case remains pending. If the agreement is accepted as reported, Brown will avoid the potential 30-year prison sentence attached to the original attempted murder charge and instead move forward under the terms of the reduced aggravated assault case.
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