There is a reason why the Patriots were blindsided by the rape allegations against Antonio Brown that surfaced days after they signed the controversial receiver.

Representatives for Brown and accuser Britney Taylor had been in discussions for months but had agreed not to discuss any of it publicly until she filed her civil lawsuit, ESPN.com reported. The specifics of those talks are unclear, but it is commonplace for settlement discussions to take place before an official filing.

A source told ESPN that because the accusations were part of a civil complaint and not a criminal one, Brown was under no obligation to inform the Raiders or Patriots of them.

News of the lawsuit, which alleges Brown sexually assaulted Taylor on three separate occasions, broke on Tuesday night — three days after the Patriots signed him.

Taylor is scheduled to meet with the NFL next week. Brown has been practicing with the Patriots first team and it is possible he will make his debut with New England on Sunday against the Dolphins.

The Patriots’ signing of Brown was largely seen as a coup after the Raiders released him following a tumultuous offseason that included a helmet controversy and a screaming match with general manager Mike Mayock.

The accusations, though, have brought further scrutiny on the team, and a suspension by the NFL is an eventual possibility.

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