Miami, FL
Antonio Brown wants Miami attempted murder charge dropped under ‘Stand Your Ground’
Former NFL star Antonio Brown is seeking to have his attempted murder charge from a Miami shooting dismissed under Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law, court records show.
Attorneys for Brown on Thursday filed a motion to dismiss his case in Miami-Dade, saying the shooting was legally justified under the 2005 law.
Brown, 37, has pleaded not guilty to the second-degree attempted murder charge, which carries a potential 15-year prison sentence and a fine up to $10,000 if he is convicted.
Miami-Dade Corrections
Miami-Dade Corrections Antonio Brown
According to an arrest warrant, Brown is accused of grabbing a handgun from a security staffer after a celebrity boxing match in Miami on May 16 and firing two shots at a man he had gotten into a fistfight with earlier.
The victim alleged, Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu, told investigators that one of the bullets grazed his neck.
Brown’s attorney said that the affidavit is mistaken and that Brown actually used his personal firearm, and that the shots were not aimed at anyone.
The motion filed Thursday said Nantambu is a convicted felon and mentions his arrest in February after police said he disrupted Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show by waving a Sudanese flag bearing the message “Sudan and Free Gaza.”
Nantambu also allegedly attacked Brown backstage at a 2023 Rolling Loud music festival concert, and was allegedly jailed in Dubai in 2022 for stealing Brown’s jewelry, the motion said.
The motion also claimed Nantambu had publicly issued threats at Brown including stating “your days are numbered.”
The motion claims Nantambu knew Brown was at the boxing event because Brown had been livestreaming, and said Nantambu waited outside the event for an opportunity to confront Brown.
As Brown exited, he spotted Nantambu quickly approaching him and saw him “tucking his chain inside his shirt,” the motion said.
He attacked Brown, who suffered injuries to his eye, knee and hands as others joined in the assault and Brown became in fear for his life, the motion said.
“Fearing additional violence and believing he may encounter Nantambu again while attempting to reach his vehicle, Brown retrieved his concealed firearm, for which he lawfully possessed a permit,” the motion said.
Brown ran to his car but again encountered Nantambu, who he fear was armed and “made an aggressive movement towards him,” the motion said.
“In that moment, Brown again reasonably feared death or great bodily harm. In response, he fired two warning shots, intentionally aiming away from Nantambu to ensure he would not be struck,” the motion said. “Brown hoped the warning shots would deter Nantambu’s aggression, allowing Brown to safely reach his vehicle and leave the scene.”
The motion claimed there was a struggle and Nantambu took Brown’s gun then fled the scene with the weapon, while Brown stayed at the scene and complied with law enforcement.
Brown was not immediately arrested that night because initially police did not identify Nantambu as a victim. It wasn’t until May 21 that Nantambu gave a full statement about the incident to police and identified Brown as the shooter, the affidavit says.
“Cellphone video obtained from social media showed Mr. Brown with the firearm in his hand advancing toward Mr. Nantambu on the outside walk. The video captures two shots which occur as Mr. Brown is within several feet of Mr. Nantambu,” the arrest affidavit said. “The video also captures Mr. Nantambu ducking after the first shot is heard.”
In video posted on Only in Dade, Brown was seen an altercation with several individuals. At one point, he was seen running and a gunshot was heard.
Brown has said on social media that he was defending himself from an attack and that others were trying to steal jewelry from him.
The motion said Brown’s use of force was “fully justified” under ‘Stand Your Ground.”
“Brown reasonably believed that the alleged victim intended to cause him serious harm. Moments earlier, he had been physically attacked by an attention-seeking convicted fraudster with a documented history of violence toward Brown, as well as toward others, including law enforcement. Even the sight of Brown’s firearm did not deter the alleged victim’s aggression,” the motion reads. “Nantambu remained intent on harming him. Under these circumstances, Brown had every legal right to defend himself.”
Brown was extradited last month from Dubai, where he has business interests, after an arrest warrant on the attempted murder charge was issued in June.
He was released on a $25,000 bond and must wear an ankle monitor.
A prosecutor said Brown could face up to 30 years in prison if convicted.
Brown spent 12 years in the NFL and was an All-Pro wide receiver who last played in 2021 for Tampa Bay, including a Super Bowl championship with quarterback Tom Brady. He spent much of his career with Pittsburgh. For his career, Brown had 928 receptions for more than 12,000 yards and accounted for 88 total touchdowns, counting punt returns and one pass.
Rumors have swirled around Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball for several seasons, recently heating up ahead of the 2025-26 NBA season. Despite coming into the season with a promising young core, headlined by the All-Star guard, Charlotte’s struggles have persisted.
Ball has been largely inefficient in a new-look rotation, shooting just 41% from the field, tying the second-lowest mark of his career thus far. Monitoring teams around the league, several suitors could offer enticing returns for Ball, but one Eastern Conference club is one of the more sensible destinations for the Hornets guard: the Miami Heat. Here’s a mock trade that sees Ball moved to South Beach:
Charlotte Hornets-Miami Heat Mock Trade & Fantasy Basketball Impact
Charlotte Hornets receive Andrew Wiggins, Simone Fontecchio, 2029 first-round pick, 2031 first-round pick
Miami Heat receive LaMelo Ball
A trade to a consistent playoff contender could help Ball overcome lasting narratives that have surrounded the star point guard. Fans, media personnel and coaches alike have speculated over Ball’s commitment and ability to buy in throughout his career, something that could be overcome with a trade to the Heat.
In Miami, Ball could contribute to a winning culture for a team prepared to re-enter title contention after moving on from Jimmy Butler last season. The Heat would roll out a big-three consisting of Ball, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, a trio that has the potential to emerge as one of the top in the NBA.
From a fantasy basketball standpoint, his stock could take a noticeable leap in an improved situation. Ball would take on greater scoring responsibility, while retaining his role as the offense’s primary ball-handler. With two co-stars and a plethora of perimeter shooters, he could overcome an inconsistent start to the season and hit his stride down the stretch of the year.
Why The Hornets Make The Trade
While Ball has brought his stardom to the Hornets, the team has struggled throughout his career, failing to reach the postseason in his first six seasons. Charlotte has pieced together a promising young wing duo of Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel, two key contributors for the Hornets to build around as they establish an improved culture over the next several seasons. While he’s just 24 years old, I’m not confident Ball fits alongside this hypothetical new-look Hornets club, considering previous frustrations with the team.
Why The Heat Make The Trade
Miami has sought a trade for a star player to help the team return to title contention, a billing that Ball fits perfectly. He presents a consistent floor general to help the Heat’s offense overcome a slow start to the season, ranking 20th in the NBA in defensive rating to this point of the season (114.8). I love Ball’s fit alongside the likes of Herro and Adebayo, taking pressure off the two All-Stars with consistent playmaking and versatile scoring ability. The Ball-led Heat would be set up for title contention over the next several years.
Read More Fantasy On SI News
It looked improbable two months ago.
Two years ago — impossible.
But against the odds, Miami and Indiana have a date in the College Football Playoff final — a first-of-its-kind matchup on Jan. 19 in the second national title game of the expanded-playoff era.
The Hoosiers (15-0), the top-seeded favorite in the 12-team tournament, stomped Oregon 56-22 on Friday night to reach the final. The Hurricanes (13-2), seeded 10th and the last at-large team to make the field, beat Mississippi 31-27 the night before.
Indiana opened as a 7 1/2-point favorite, according to the BetMGM Sportsbook.
The game is set for Hard Rock Stadium in South Florida — the long-ago-chosen venue for a game that happens to be the home of the Hurricanes. Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is a Miami native who grew up less than a mile from the campus in Coral Gables.
“It means a little bit more to me,” Mendoza said of the title game doubling as a homecoming.
Miami quarterback Carson Beck (11) holds the offensive player of the game trophy after winning the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football playoff semifinal game against Mississippi, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Glendale, Ariz. Credit: AP/Ross D. Franklin
He’ll be going against the program known as “The U.” Miami won five titles between 1983 and 2001 and earned the reputation as college football’s brashest renegade.
A quarter century later, they are one side in a tale of two resurgences.
Miami’s was sparked by coach Mario Cristobal, a local boy and former ‘Cane himself who came back home four years ago to lead his alma mater to a place it hasn’t been in decades.
Among his biggest wins was luring quarterback Carson Beck to spend his final year of eligibility with the ‘Canes.
Miami head coach Mario Cristobal yells from the sideline during the second half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football playoff semifinal game against Mississippi, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Glendale, Ariz. Credit: AP/Rick Scuteri
Beck, steadily rounding back to form after an elbow injury that ended his season at Georgia last year, is getting better every week. He has thrown for 15 TDs and two interceptions over a seven-game winning streak dating to Nov. 8.
“He’s hungry, he’s driven, he’s a great human being, and all he wants to do is to see his teammates have success,” Cristobal said after Beck threw for 268 yards and ran for the winning touchdown against Ole Miss.
It was the latest step in a long climb from No. 18 in the season’s first CFP rankings on Nov. 4 — barely within shouting distance of the bubble — after their second loss of the season.
The Hurricanes haven’t lost since.
Hoosiers rise from nowhere to the edge of a title
Indiana’s climb to the top is an even longer haul. This is the program that had a nation-leading 713 losses over 130-plus years heading into the 2024 season. Since then, only two.
The turnaround is thanks to coach Curt Cignetti, who arrived from James Madison and declared: “It’s pretty simple. I win. Google me,” while explaining his confident tone at a signing day news conference in December 2023 when he landed the core of the class that has taken Indiana from obscurity to the edge of a title.
But Indiana’s biggest catch came about a year ago from the transfer portal — the oxygen that drives the current game.
Mendoza, who went to the same high school as Cristobal in Miami, chose Indiana as the place to finish his career. So far, he has won the Heisman Trophy and is all but assured to be a top-five pick in the NFL draft.
“Can’t say enough about him,” Cignetti said.
One more win and he’ll bring a national title and an undefeated season to Indiana, an even 50 years after the Hoosiers’ 1975-76 basketball team, led by coach Bob Knight, did the same.
Lots of people could see that one coming. Hard to say the same about this.
CFP selection committee almost kept this game from happening
It might seem like ancient history, but Miami almost didn’t make the playoffs.
In its first ranking of the season, back in November, the CFP selection committee ranked the Hurricanes eight spots behind a Notre Dame team they beat to start the season.
The history of Miami’s slow crawl up the standings, then its leapfrogging past the Irish for the last spot, has been well-documented. If Miami’s trip to the final proved anything, it’s how off-base the committee was when it started the ’Canes at 18, even if they were coming off a loss at SMU, its second of the season.
Though these programs haven’t met since the 1960s, there is familiarity.
One of the best games of 2024 was Miami’s comeback from 25 points down to beat Cal. The quarterback for the Bears: Mendoza, who threw for 285 yards but got edged out by Cam Ward in a 39-38 loss.
With Ward headed for the NFL, the Hurricanes were a consideration for Mendoza as he sought a new spot to finish out his college career. But he picked Indiana, Beck moved to Miami, and now, they meet.
Miami cashes in big
The College Football Playoff will distribute $20 million to the Big Ten and Atlantic Coast Conferences for placing their teams in the finals — that’s $4 million for making it, $4 million for getting to the quarters, then $6 million each for the semis and finals.
While the Big Ten divvies up that money evenly between its 18 members, Miami keeps it all for itself — part of a “success initiatives program” the ACC started last season that allows schools to keep all the postseason money they make in football and basketball.
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