Chad Johnson Speaks on Antonio Brown’s Arrest

Chad Johnson was visibly emotional discussing the arrest of his friend Antonio Brown.

The former NFL star was taken into custody in Dubai on Thursday and later extradited to the U.S. to face attempted murder charges related to a shooting at a celebrity boxing event in Miami back in May.

Johnson, who has known Brown since they were teenagers, couldn’t contain his feelings while speaking on his podcast, “Nightcap,” with co-host Shannon Sharpe.

“I tried to talk to him,” Johnson said, struggling to hold back tears. “It hurts to see it get this far. I’m not sure what’s ahead, but perhaps this is what he needs to get back home and back on track. I didn’t want to put him in a tough spot because he’s an adult now.”

“It’s just sad seeing someone so talented face all these hurdles after everything they’ve worked for.” His voice trailed off, almost as if he was lost in thought.

Brown, now 37, was arrested by U.S. Marshals on Thursday, but a transfer date to Miami-Dade County is still pending.

He had been in hiding since June when an arrest warrant was issued.

While overseas, he was on a $10,000 house arrest bond. He was detained at Newark Airport in New Jersey, according to reports.

Previously, Brown made headlines in May after a viral video showed him claiming he was attacked during an attempted robbery.

The footage depicted Brown in a confrontation with some individuals in a parking lot, and shortly thereafter, gunshots were fired.

Eyewitnesses reportedly identified Brown as the person who fired the shots, as stated in the arrest warrant.

Video evidence captured Brown punching the alleged victim, Zulkarnain Kwame Nantambu, and then seizing the security guard’s weapon before approaching him.

After his arrest, Brown stated he had “turned over the keys to social media and CTESPN to my team.” He last played in the NFL during the 2021 season, notably walking off the field mid-game against the Jets.

Since then, the Super Bowl champion has maintained an unusual and sometimes controversial presence on social media.