U.S. Marshals found Antonio Brown in Dubai after he evaded Miami police since May on an attempted murder allegation. Adam Glanzman / Getty Images

By Sam Jane

Nov. 6, 2025Updated 7:23 pm EST

Former NFL star Antonio Brown was apprehended Thursday in Dubai by U.S. Marshals on an attempted murder charge, the Miami Police Department confirmed, ending a months-long search. He was extradited to the U.S. and is being held in Essex County, New Jersey, where he will remain until he is transferred to the Miami-Dade County Jail, according to Miami police spokesperson Michael Vega.

A video taken at a May 17 celebrity boxing event, which was hosted by popular streamer Adin Ross, appeared to show Brown in an altercation with several people. After he was separated from the fray, the video appeared to show Brown holding a black pistol as he pursued one of the men.

Police questioned several people at the scene, and Brown was briefly detained, but no arrests were made at the time, and no injuries were reported, according to The AP. Later that night, Brown wrote in a social media post that he had been jumped “by multiple individuals who tried to steal my jewelry and cause physical harm to me.” He also said he had not been arrested. But Miami police issued an arrest warrant for Brown shortly thereafter.

The former star wide receiver evaded authorities for more than four months. During that time, Brown, 37, posted frequently on social media, including 13 Instagram posts showing him in a luxury sports car, at a barbershop and lounging poolside.

“He was taunting us on social media,” Vega told The Athletic. “We identified he was in Dubai, we let the Marshals know.”

The U.S. Marshal office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Brown is facing a second-degree attempted murder charge. Vega said Brown’s extradition process to Miami could “take a day, it could be a couple weeks.” After he is transferred, he’ll appear in court.

It’s the latest in a career of lengthy legal trouble for the seven-time Pro Bowl receiver, who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

He played only one game for the Patriots in 2019 following a lawsuit by a former trainer alleging rape and sexual assault. The Patriots released him, and the NFL suspended him for the first eight games of the 2020 season. Ultimately, the Allegheny County district attorney did not pursue the case because the statute of limitations had expired, and the sides later settled a civil case on undisclosed terms.

In June 2020, Brown pleaded no contest to burglary and battery charges stemming from an incident that January with a moving company. He was ordered to serve two years of probation and 100 hours of community service. Brown was also instructed to attend an anger management program and undergo a psychological/psychiatric evaluation.

He was arrested multiple times in 2023 on warrants accusing him of failing to pay child support, and in May 2024 he filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, with records showing he owed $3 million to eight creditors.

Now, he faces a significant charge that could result in up to 15 years in prison.

“We’re just glad that we’re able to identify the shooter and bring him to justice,” Vega said.

Nov 7, 2025

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Sam Jane is a trending news writer for The Athletic. He has previously worked as an intern for The Baltimore Sun, The Washington Post, MLive and other publications. He is a senior at the University of Maryland, where he was a sports editor for the campus paper, The Diamondback.