Antonio Brown’s Albany Empire football team was relegated from the National Arena League

The The National Arena League announced Thursday that it has terminated its membership of the Albany Empire team owned by former NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown.

The NAL wrote in a statement that Brown failed to make required payments to the league’s operating budget. After several failed payment attempts and a Thursday deadline, the NAL kicked the Empire out of the league. The game scheduled for Saturday between the Empire and the Jacksonville Sharks has been canceled.

The NAL consisted of seven teams before the end of the Empire. League-wise, Brown recently purchased the team and made the required first payment in April. He failed to complete the team’s May payment and then challenged the April payment, which was credited to Brown, according to the NAL. Brown also refused to pay a $1,000 fine for his “recent public comments,” the league wrote. What these comments were was not stated in the release.

According to a league statement, Brown’s accountant, Alex Gunaris, “informed the league that it did not appear that Mr. Brown intended to pay the assessments or fines.” The league then called an “emergency conference” and set a noon deadline for Brown to make the payments on Thursday.

Brown has not directly addressed the dissolution of Empire or the NAL allegations. He posted this tweet on Thursday, shortly after the league’s payment deadline:

Brown, 34, played 12 NFL seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. One of the league’s best players in his prime, he made five All-Pro teams and seven Pro Bowls, all in Pittsburgh.

He brought chaos to each of his stops and was repeatedly in legal jeopardy, including charges of battery and burglary, as well as multiple allegations of rape and sexual misconduct.

Brown has not played in the NFL since taking off his gear and running off the field during the Buccaneers’ game against the New York Jets at the end of the 2021 season.