AB will play in Week 1 after reported 'emotional apology' at team meeting

Oakland Raiders receiver Antonio Brown will play in Week 1, head coach Jon Gruden announced Friday.

"Antonio is back today. We're really excited about that," said Gruden. "Ready to move on ... we're happy to have him back."

When asked about Brown playing against the Denver Broncos, Gruden said, "That's the plan, yes."

The wideout gave an "emotional apology" at a team meeting earlier Friday alongside the club's captains following a reported altercation between Brown and Raiders general manager Mike Mayock on Wednesday, a source told ESPN's Josina Anderson.

Oakland was reportedly considering suspending Brown, and Gruden had apparently told people that the star pass-catcher wasn't in the Raiders' plans for Monday's game, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

However, the two parties seem to be attempting to close the door on Brown's and Mayock's apparently heated exchange, which led to the receiver leaving the Raiders' facility.

More details about the confrontation were reported Friday.

The wideout initiated the conversation with Mayock midway through practice as the GM watched the session from the sideline, sources told Anderson. Brown reportedly approached Mayock, called him a "cracker," and unleashed a barrage of "cuss words" during the spat, a league source said. A Raiders source confirmed the account.

Mayock attempted to defuse the altercation, which didn't become physical, by walking away from Brown, a team source said.

Brown played down the verbal fight to ESPN's Dianna Russini, denying that he called Mayock "cracker" and saying the incident had been blown out of proportion.

"I spoke with Mike Mayock one-on-one, man-to-man," said Brown.

The pass-catcher was reportedly angry about the fines he'd recently been charged for missing multiple practices, a Raiders source said. On Wednesday, Brown shared the letter detailing the fines on social media.

"Nobody works as hard," Anderson's source with the Raiders said of Brown. "Nobody loves the game as much, but (it) seems like there is something that is distracting him from his love that (he) can't control."

Brown was facing a potentially huge financial loss if suspended, as a ban reportedly would've voided his remaining $29.125 million in guaranteed money.