A historically tumultuous season for Giants cornerbacks will end with a third being suspended for a game. The Giants suspended Eli Apple for Week 17, the team announced.
This comes a day after Landon Collins publicly referred to the second-year corner as “a cancer.” Steve Spagnuolo met with Collins and Apple today in what was called a “really productive” summit, one that included a Collins apology. But the Giants banned Apple nonetheless. He received the news in a meeting with Spagnuolo and interim GM Kevin Abrams.
“We have suspended Eli for a pattern of behavior that is conduct detrimental to the team,” Abrams said.
This pattern of behavior looks to have produced a final-straw moment Wednesday. ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan and Dan Graziano report Apple argued with coaches, including cornerbacks coach Tim Walton, at practice. That argument looks to have been catalyzed by Apple’s refusal to take the field with the Giants’ scout team, Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com report (Twitter link). Apple was already arguing unspecified matters with coaches prior to refusing the scout-team assignment, Garofolo tweets. This wasn’t the first argument between Apple and Walton, per Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv (on Twitter).
Apple played only on special teams in Sunday’s game against the Cardinals, ceding his spot to less-heralded cogs — and first-year Giants — Brandon Dixon and Ross Cockrell. The Ohio State product started in seven games this season after opening with the first unit 11 times as a rookie. He finished with exactly the same amount of tackles as last season (49) and recovered two fumbles as well. Pro Football Focus slotted Apple as its No. 73 full-time corner this season, putting him fourth among Giants.
The Giants surprised many by taking Apple No. 10 overall in 2016, with Big Blue eschewing an offensive line need to take a corner in spite of Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Janoris Jenkins‘ statuses. Now, Apple follows in their footsteps by incurring a one-game suspension. Ben McAdoo suspended the starting duo at different junctures this season before being fired.
Apple and Collins would not have shared the field this weekend because Collins is now out for the year due to injury. The defensive backs’ beef goes back to at least to a point earlier this month, when Collins had to be restrained from going after Apple inside the team facility. A report in November also indicated Apple nearly left the Giants’ facility because of a film-room session featuring harsh critiques from teammates and coaches. Apple’s mother also underwent brain surgery this fall, and the second-year defender was given time off because of it.
“(Landon and I) had a quick conversation this morning and then I had a quick conversation with Eli,” Spagnuolo said about the aforementioned summit involving himself and the two at-odds defensive backs. “And then all three of us had a really good conversation and it was very productive and I’ll just leave it at that. It’s between them and they were really great.”
One of several Ohio State corners to be first-round picks in recent years, Apple is under contract through 2019.
He is just a trouble making punk. Cut his ass and just move on. It’s the old saying Addition butt Subtraction
Addition by Subtraction. I hate spell correct
Addition Butt Subtraction strikes me as a good saying too.
Why would spell correct change by to Butt? What word did you actually type
I haven’t had the pleasure of watching Giants games this year but seems like a lot of talent and not a lot of leadership
Bust
I’m not a Giants fan and I’m not going to pass judgment too quickly but I think 2 points need to be made in his defense: 1.) he is still very young and is a kid. Try to imagine how you acted at his age. If you can’t do that then think about the behavior OBJ displayed last year and how young he is. More importantly, #2) his mother just had brain surgery. I’m no expert on brain surgeries but I have to think they are all life threatening. To think of the stress that caused in his life may be a prevailing factor towards explaining his behavior lately.
Obviously stuff going on. Hopefully he can get his mind right in the next few years
That’s great insight and some of the things that’s were going through my head. If the Giants cut him it might come back to haunt them. They allowed OBJ to act like an idiot and that was a bad example. Can you imagine OBJ acting like that playing for Belichick? I can’t but he would have some room for being different because of his greatness similar to Gronk.
Not that Belichick has all the answers but he has proven he has more than most.
Cancer