The New York Giants have been sh*t show this season. Drama with Odell Beckham jr.’s new contract, the benching of Eli Manning, team personnel changes and now drama with cornerback “cancer” Eli Apple.
Earlier this week, Apple’s teammate Landon Collins called Eli a “cancer” and said the Giants defense was fine except for the second-year CB.
“There’s only just one corner that … needs to grow, and we all know who that is,” Collins said. “That would be the only person I would change out of our secondary group. Besides, the other two guys, [Rodgers-Cromartie] and [Jenkins], I love those two guys. They play hard. They love what they do.
“But that first pick … he’s a cancer.”
Collins has since walked the statement back a bit in a tweet that kind of apologized.
I met with Coach Spags and Eli this morning and I apologized for the things I said yesterday. I never stop supporting my brother/teammate Eli and the rest of my teammates as we move forward. Just want him to know I’m always here for him ????@EliApple13
— LANDON COLLINS (@TheHumble_21) December 27, 2017
Collins reportedly had several conversations with him about being a professional and how to handle his struggles this season, but the “advice” wasn’t well received. The two almost had a physical altercation with Collins having to be held back by teammates.
On Wednesday, Apple reportedly got into a confrontation with cornerbacks coach Tim Walton and was restrained by teammates. He was suspended for conduct detrimental to the team.
He also left a bad taste in the media’s mouths that same day when he dodged talking to the media about Collins comments, instead opting to walk through the locker room and saying, “I gotta take a sh*t.”
According to Apple’s brother Dane Blackson, the real issue in Eli’s life is his mother Annie Apple pulling the strings. He spoke with TMZ Sports about the drama.
“I feel like when people say Eli’s like a cancer…I just think of mom when people use these types of adjectives,” Blackson said of Annie.
“I feel like he never had a fair shot. I mean, a lot of this s**t that you could be judging him on, there’s really a master behind him pulling the strings. So, as far as Eli being the cancer, I don’t really see Eli being the cancer more than I see mom being the cancer and him not being able to distance himself.”
Dane also indicated that family strife has clouded Eli’s vision. Annie is divorcing Eli’s stepfather, Tim Apple. Tim has been in Eli’s life since he was two. He changed his last name to Apple his senior year of high school.
Tim was Eli’s manager his rookie season. He worked with his advisors, dealing with the CB’s finances, marketing and charity work. Tim was fired in June and the two reportedly haven’t spoken since. Tim and Annie’s divorce was finalized in May. She accused him of stealing money from Eli. In September there was an incident at the family home in New Jersey where police were called because Annie wanted memorabilia from Tim that Eli had gifted him through the years.
