Former NFL star Antonio Brown is expected to avoid prison after agreeing to a plea deal that would dramatically reduce the attempted murder charge he has been facing in Miami.
Brown’s attorney says the former Pittsburgh Steelers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver will plead no contest to aggravated assault instead of going to trial on a charge of attempted second-degree murder.
Under the proposed agreement, Brown is expected to receive three years of probation, potentially with the possibility of early termination, and no prison or jail time. Adjudication would also be withheld, which means Brown would not be formally adjudicated guilty of the felony under the deal described by his lawyer.
The agreement is not yet final. Brown is scheduled to appear in a Miami-Dade courtroom on September 30, 2026, when the plea and sentence are expected to be presented to the judge. [Los Angeles Times] [AP]
What Is Antonio Brown’s Plea Deal?
Brown’s attorney, Mark Eiglarsh, says the agreement will reduce Brown’s charge from attempted second-degree murder to aggravated assault.
Brown will enter a no-contest plea to the aggravated assault charge.
According to Eiglarsh, the expected terms include:
- No prison sentence
- No jail sentence
- No house arrest
- Three years of probation, with the possibility of early termination
- Adjudication withheld
- No drug or alcohol evaluation
- No psychological evaluation
- No community service requirement
- No apology letter
- No fine
- An order to stay away from the alleged victim
The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office has not publicly confirmed all of those terms. A spokesperson said the details would be clarified at Brown’s September 30 court hearing. [Los Angeles Times] [AP/The Guardian]
Is Antonio Brown Going To Prison?
Not if the court accepts the plea agreement as described by his attorney.
Eiglarsh said Brown will receive probation rather than incarceration.
“There’s no prison, there’s no jail, there’s no house arrest.”
That represents a major reduction in Brown’s potential exposure. He had been facing up to 30 years in prison if convicted of attempted second-degree murder. Reports also said the original firearm charge carried a potential 20-year mandatory minimum. [AP] [Reuters]
What Charge Will Antonio Brown Plead To?
Brown is expected to plead no contest to aggravated assault.
Florida law defines aggravated assault as an assault involving a deadly weapon without intent to kill or an assault committed with the intent to commit a felony.
Aggravated assault is generally a third-degree felony under Florida law. [Florida Senate]
A third-degree felony can ordinarily carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000, although Brown’s proposed plea agreement calls for probation instead. [Florida Department Of Law Enforcement]
What Does A No-Contest Plea Mean?
A no-contest plea, also known as nolo contendere, means Brown would not formally admit guilt but would accept the criminal consequences of the charge rather than contest it at trial.
For purposes of the criminal case, the court can impose a sentence after accepting the plea.
That allows Brown to resolve the prosecution without proceeding to a trial over whether his actions constituted attempted murder or were legally justified as self-defense.
Will Antonio Brown Be A Convicted Felon?
Under the agreement described by Brown’s attorney, adjudication will be withheld.
That means the court would accept Brown’s no-contest plea and impose probation without formally adjudicating him guilty.
Eiglarsh said that arrangement means Brown will not be considered a convicted felon as a result of the case. [AP]
Florida law permits courts to withhold adjudication in certain felony cases, subject to statutory restrictions. [Florida Legislature]
A withheld adjudication is not the same thing as the charge disappearing. Brown would still have entered a no-contest plea to a felony offense and would have to comply with the conditions of his probation.
What Was Antonio Brown Originally Charged With?
Brown was charged with attempted second-degree murder with a firearm following a May 16, 2025 confrontation outside a celebrity boxing event in Miami.
According to the arrest warrant, Brown became involved in a fight with Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu.
Investigators alleged that Brown then obtained a handgun from a member of the event’s security staff and fired two shots toward Nantambu from several feet away.
Nantambu told investigators that one of the bullets grazed his neck. [NBC 6 South Florida] [AP]
What Did Antonio Brown Say Happened?
Brown has maintained that he acted in self-defense.
He said on social media after the incident that he had been attacked and that people were attempting to steal jewelry from him.
His legal team later pursued a defense under Florida’s Stand Your Ground law, arguing that Brown’s actions were legally justified because he believed he faced a threat of serious harm. [Local 10]
Brown initially pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder charge. [AP/NFL]
Why Is Antonio Brown Taking A Plea Deal If He Says He Is Innocent?
Eiglarsh says Brown continues to believe he could have successfully defended himself at trial.
But going to trial would have exposed Brown to decades in prison if he lost.
His attorney said the enormous difference between those possibilities made accepting the reduced charge the practical choice.
“There is a profound difference between believing you can win a case and deciding that you and your family cannot afford to spend another year, or potentially several years, wearing an ankle monitor and fighting it.”
Eiglarsh described the agreement as an offer Brown could not reasonably reject because it replaced the possibility of a lengthy prison term with probation. [AP/The Guardian]
Why Did Prosecutors Offer Antonio Brown A Plea Deal?
A major development came when Nantambu, the alleged victim, announced that he had forgiven Brown and no longer wanted to participate in the prosecution.
Nantambu’s attorney, Richard Cooper, said the decision followed reflection, prayer and discussions with his family and legal counsel.
Cooper emphasized that forgiving Brown did not mean Nantambu believed the alleged incident was insignificant. Instead, he said his client did not want anger or resentment to determine how he moved forward. [Local 10]
After the plea deal became public, Cooper said his client was satisfied that justice had been served and would maintain his decision not to cooperate with prosecutors. [AP/Local 10]
Can A Victim Drop Criminal Charges?
Not by themselves.
Criminal charges are brought by the government, not by the alleged victim. A victim can tell prosecutors that he or she no longer wants to cooperate, but prosecutors can theoretically continue a case if they believe they have sufficient evidence.
Nantambu’s decision was nevertheless important because losing the cooperation of a central witness can affect how prosecutors evaluate the strength and practicality of a criminal case.
His attorney said that once Nantambu decided not to participate, the plea agreement became a reasonable way to resolve the prosecution. [TMZ]
Why Was Antonio Brown Arrested In Dubai?
Police obtained an arrest warrant for Brown in June 2025 following the Miami shooting investigation.
Brown was eventually arrested by U.S. Marshals in Dubai in November 2025 and returned to the United States.
He waived extradition proceedings and was transported back to Florida to face the attempted murder charge. [AP/NFL]
Brown was subsequently released on bond while the criminal case continued.
What Was Antonio Brown’s Stand Your Ground Defense?
Brown’s attorneys sought to have the case dismissed under Florida’s self-defense laws.
Florida’s Stand Your Ground law can allow a person to use deadly force without first retreating when certain legal requirements are satisfied, including circumstances in which the person reasonably believes deadly force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm.
Brown’s legal team maintained that the confrontation outside the boxing event qualified as self-defense.
By accepting the plea agreement, Brown would resolve the criminal case without requiring a judge or jury to ultimately decide whether that defense would have succeeded.
When Will Antonio Brown’s Plea Deal Become Official?
Brown is scheduled to appear before Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez on September 30, 2026.
That is when he is expected to formally enter his no-contest plea and have the agreement presented to the court.
The deal should therefore still be described as a proposed or expected plea agreement until the judge accepts it.
The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office specifically declined to confirm the details in advance and said the terms would be clarified during the hearing. [Los Angeles Times]
How Much Prison Time Was Antonio Brown Facing?
Brown faced as much as 30 years in prison if convicted of the attempted second-degree murder charge.
Reports also indicated that the firearm allegation could have exposed him to a mandatory minimum sentence of approximately 20 years.
The contrast between that potential punishment and probation explains why Eiglarsh characterized the plea offer as extraordinarily favorable to Brown. [Reuters]
| Issue | Before Plea Deal | Proposed Plea Deal |
|---|---|---|
| Charge | Attempted second-degree murder | Aggravated assault |
| Plea | Not guilty | No contest |
| Possible Prison Exposure | Up to 30 years | No prison expected |
| Sentence | Would depend on conviction | Expected three years probation, potentially ending early |
| Adjudication | N/A | Expected to be withheld |
What Happens If Antonio Brown Violates Probation?
If Brown receives probation as expected, he will be required to comply with the conditions imposed by the court.
His attorney says one specific condition will require Brown to stay away from Nantambu.
A probation violation could return Brown to court and potentially expose him to additional penalties. The exact consequences would depend on the type of violation, the final terms of the plea agreement and the judge’s ruling.
Does The Plea Deal Mean Antonio Brown Was Cleared?
No.
The agreement would end the attempted murder prosecution by replacing the original charge with aggravated assault.
Brown would not be acquitted of the original charge, and a court would not be ruling that his Stand Your Ground defense was correct.
Instead, Brown would enter a no-contest plea to the reduced aggravated assault charge in exchange for the agreed-upon sentencing terms.
At the same time, a no-contest plea is not an admission of guilt in the same way as a guilty plea. Brown has continued to maintain through his attorney that he believes his conduct was justified as self-defense.
Antonio Brown Plea Deal FAQ
What plea deal did Antonio Brown get?
Brown’s attorney says he will plead no contest to aggravated assault instead of facing trial for attempted second-degree murder. He is expected to receive probation rather than prison. [AP]
How long will Antonio Brown be on probation?
The Los Angeles Times reported that Brown is expected to receive three years of probation, with the possibility that it could end early. [Los Angeles Times]
Is Antonio Brown going to prison?
Not under the proposed agreement. His lawyer says there will be no prison, jail or house arrest.
What was Antonio Brown originally charged with?
Brown was charged with attempted second-degree murder with a firearm in connection with the May 2025 shooting incident in Miami.
What charge is Antonio Brown pleading to?
He is expected to plead no contest to aggravated assault, a third-degree felony under Florida law. [Florida Senate]
Will Antonio Brown be a convicted felon?
His attorney says adjudication will be withheld, meaning Brown would not be formally adjudicated guilty and would not be considered a convicted felon under the terms described by the defense. [AP]
Why did Antonio Brown take the deal?
His attorney says Brown still believes he could win at trial using a self-defense argument, but the plea eliminates the risk of a potential decades-long prison sentence.
Did the alleged victim forgive Antonio Brown?
Yes. Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu’s attorney said his client had forgiven Brown and no longer wanted to participate in the prosecution. [Local 10]
When will Antonio Brown’s plea deal be finalized?
Brown is scheduled to appear in court on September 30, 2026. Until the judge accepts the plea, the agreement is not final.
