By Canadian Press

AP source: NFL to meet with Antonio Brown accuser Monday

Sep 15, 2019 | 9:32 AM

The NFL plans to meet Monday with a woman who says she was raped by New England Patriots wide receiver Antonio Brown.

A person with direct knowledge of the situation confirmed the meeting to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.

Britney Taylor accused Brown of rape and sexual assault in a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday in the Southern District of Florida. Brown has denied the allegations by his former trainer.

Taylor said Tuesday in a statement she will co-operate with the NFL and any other agencies.

Darren Heitner, a lawyer representing Brown, said Brown and Taylor had “a consensual personal relationship.” He told the AP on Tuesday his client plans to countersue.

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The Boston Globe first reported the meeting.

Brown is eligible to play during Sunday’s game at Miami because he was not placed on the commissioner’s exempt list. No criminal charges have been filed and the NFL hasn’t fully developed its investigation, so Brown is able to suit up for the Patriots, who acquired him after Brown requested and got his release from Oakland.

Players on the exempt list can’t play in games or practice with a team but are still paid. A player can be placed on the exempt list at any point.

The AP does not typically identify people who say they are victims of sexual assault unless they come forward publicly. Taylor was identified in the federal lawsuit and was quoted in a statement provided by her lawyer, David Haas.

“As a rape victim of Antonio Brown, deciding to speak out has been an incredibly difficult decision,” Taylor said. “I have found strength in my faith, my family, and from the accounts of other survivors of sexual assault. Speaking out removes the shame that I have felt for the past year and places it on the person responsible for my rape.”

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More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Barry Wilner, The Associated Press