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          A 'Hard Knocks' life for Antonio Brown: 'I only get one head and one neck'

          Antonio Brown spent part of Episode 4 of "Hard Knocks" trying on or discussing helmets as he tries to find a newer model. Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports
          • Paul Gutierrez, ESPN Staff WriterAug 28, 2019, 05:07 AM
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              Paul Gutierrez joined NFL Nation in 2013 and serves as its Las Vegas Raiders reporter. He has a multi-platform role - writing on ESPN.com, television appearances on NFL Live and SportsCenter, and podcast and radio appearances. Before coming to ESPN, Gutierrez spent three years at CSN Bay Area as a multi-platform reporter, covering the Raiders and Oakland Athletics as well as anchoring the SportsNet Central cable news show. Gutierrez votes for the Baseball Hall of Fame and is also a member of the Professional Football Writers of America and currently serves as the PFWA's Las Vegas chapter president. He is also a member of the California Chicano News Media Association and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. Gutierrez has authored three books: Tommy Davis' Tales from the Dodgers Dugout, 100 Things Raiders Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die and If These Walls Could Talk: Stories from the Raiders Sideline, Locker Room and Press Box with Lincoln Kennedy. You can follow Paul on Twitter @PGutierrezESPN
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          ALAMEDA, Calif. -- Oakland Raiders receiver Antonio Brown has yet to publically go into specifics on his two helmet grievances, both of which were denied, but the "Hard Knocks" cameras and mics caught him talking about the situation in this week's episode.

          He was taking during a Concord (California) De La Salle high school football game and was asked specifically what the deal was with his helmet while standing on the sidelines.

          "First, they said they tested it, but it wasn't on the [approved] list," Brown said of the NFL. "It's just, I only get one head and one neck so I gotta make sure when guys [are] trying to take my head off, I got the right damn lid to protect [me]."

          Earlier in the show, Brown wore a newer helmet while catching balls from a Jugs machine and complained about the fit.

          "This helmet hurt my head right here, look," he said, pointing to a spot behind his left ear. "Nah, this just some play-play, it hurts my head, right there. Headache right there.

          "Bro, feel right here, I got like a hickey right here, look ... I need a special pad for that. That's just killing my head."

          For what it's worth, the helmet he wore at practice Tuesday was different from the one he wore Sunday and Monday.

          Other highlights from Episode 4 ...

          • Derek Carr and Brown asking coach Jon Gruden in Winnipeg if they could get in the exhibition against the Green Bay Packers for one play, with Carr throwing Brown a deep ball on said play. Gruden's quick response?

            • "Let me think about that. No!" he said, without pausing.

          • Linebacker Jason Cabinda video-calling his mother Natalie to tell her he got her a ticket to the game in Canada and an ecstatic Natalie astutely calling the game, predicting the Packers would go deep ... before they did.

            • "You guys got a hell of a football team at Clemson, but you've got the worst entertainers I've ever had here." Jon Gruden after Trayvon Mullen became the second Clemson rookie to butcher the song "Lean on Me."

          • Clemson cornerback Trayvon Mullen, like his old college teammate Hunter Renfrow, absolutely butchering his rendition of "Lean on Me" in front of his teammates and coaches, prompting this response from Gruden: "You guys got a hell of a football team at Clemson, but you've got the worst entertainers I've ever had here."

          • Brown reading positive fan mail and saying, "So, people don't hate A.B., they actually love me. But sometimes hate is actually good, too, because, I mean, I aggravate people, that means they really like me. Because if I didn't matter, they wouldn't care."

          • Gruden's frustration with the Packers not wanting to play on the Winnipeg field, due to raised patches in the end zones where the CFL goalposts are usually planted and the game being played on a shortened, 80-yard field, without kickoffs.

            • "I'm glad you guys have a great feel for this," he muttered to game officials in a stadium hallway before walking off. "Yeah, great. That's great."

            Gruden later gave a Chucky look of death to Carr after his quarterback put an arm around him on the sideline. "Unbelievable," Gruden said. "People piss me off, Derek, I'm sorry. I've been playing this game a long time, man, we got some guy get off the bus and say he can't play here." And when an official told Gruden to get back in the coaching box during the game, Gruden shot back, "Just throw the flag on me, will ya? I've had enough f---ing grief."

          • Gruden's growing support of Nathan Peterman, who is competing with Mike Glennon to be Carr's backup. "I want to get Peterman in the game," Gruden says into his headset. "Just put him in the game. I think the guy's a better player than you guys. I'd like to see him."

            • Peterman led the Raiders to a 22-21 comeback win in the exhibition. "That's as good as I've seen you since Pitt, man," Gruden told him in the postgame locker room. "You saw the field great, man. Great audibles, no sacks, I mean, took care of the ball, two-minute drive. God bless you, great. Great. Proud of you, Nate."

          • And Gruden's growing support of undrafted free agent receiver Keelan Doss, from, "I want to see Keelan Doss." To, "I like this Doss." To, "I love Doss." All on his headset.

          • Canadian tight end Luke Willson enjoying the singing of "O Canada" before the game and saying that Drake might actually be the biggest current Canadian icon, over Mike Myers and Wayne Gretzky, because of the musician's association with the NBA champion Toronto Raptors.

          • Gruden and his wife Cindy watching their son Jayson in a mixed martial arts workout. "We all have a loose screw in our family, that's for sure," Gruden said. "He wants to be a professional fighter and he's serious about it, so we're supporting him."

          • Lastly ... "Hard Knocks" did right tackle Trent Brown dirty in the closing credits. Because after defensive line coach Brentson Buckner told Anthony Rush, "You're a habitual fat person that likes to sneak around and eat," the scene cut to an unsuspecting Brown in the back of a meeting room, stuffing strands of sour belts candy down his throat in one fell, gob-filled swoop. He then grabbed a bag of Doritos, looked around and walked out.