SOUR APPLE THREATENED WALKOUT
Eli so upset over McAdoo critique he nearly left building
Eli Apple’s second NFL season with the Giants continues to deteriorate.
The cornerback taken with the 10th overall pick in the 2016 draft was so upset with pointed criticism directed at him by coaches and especially his teammates that not once, but twice, he nearly walked out of the team facility, seeking to get away from it all.
What Ben McAdoo described as a “brutally honest’’ film review Nov. 15, three days after the horrific 31-21 loss to the previously winless 49ers, turned into a difficult session for Apple. He was critiqued more vociferously than any other player, a source with knowledge of the situation told The Post, and he did not handle it well at all.
It was widely believed that veteran cornerback Janoris Jenkins was put through the ringer for his play in Santa Clara, but it was Apple who attracted the most heated and negative scrutiny. Two plays, in particular, irked his teammates as the evidence was displayed on the screen for all to see.
On the first, Apple allowed himself to get blocked out of bounds and did not fight hard enough, or at all, to get back into the play. The second was the most egregious, with Apple and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie serving as gunners on the punt coverage team. The film showed Rodgers-Cromartie, 31, fighting to defeat the blocking and get down the field. The film also showed Apple, 22, not fighting to do the same.
Teammates lit into Apple for his lack of effort on these plays and he was so taken aback that on two separate occasions, he threatened to walk out of the team facility. He had a discussion with McAdoo, ultimately decided to stay in the building and participated in practice that afternoon.
The next two days, Apple did not report to the team facility, as he was tending to his mother, who had undergone successful brain surgery. McAdoo said the missed practice time was the reason Apple was not activated for the game against the Chiefs, which is true, but Apple’s mental state also played a part in his deactivation, according to a source.
This week, with only two light practice days before the Thanksgiving night game in Landover, Md., McAdoo, on a short workweek and with no real physical or mental reassurance Apple was ready, again determined Apple would be deactivated for the 20-10 loss to the Redskins.
“He didn’t practice last week, except for Wednesday,’’ McAdoo said. “He did not play in the game and didn’t get any speed work this week, that’s why I chose to not dress him.’’
McAdoo went with Ross Cockrell as Apple’s replacement in the 12-9 overtime victory over the Chiefs, and Cockrell held up fine. But that move did not work out at all the second time around, as Cockrell struggled against the Redskins.
Thus continues the turbulent start to Apple’s NFL career. It is no secret the Giants had their eyes on Michigan State offensive tackle Jack Conklin in the first round of the 2016 draft, but the Titans traded up to the No. 8 spot to take him. The Giants wanted Georgia linebacker Leonard Floyd but the Bears traded up to the No. 9 spot to take him. The Giants sat at No. 10 and took Apple, a skilled cornerback from Ohio State.
Before the draft, an anonymous scout gave the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel an unusual evaluation of Apple: “I worry about him because of off-the-field issues. The kid has no life skills. At all. Can’t cook. Just a baby. He scares me to death.’’ This review at the time was generally scoffed at, but after nearly two years with Apple, the Giants have increasing concerns about his maturity and professionalism.
Apple was benched for the first three series in the 27-22 loss to the Chargers in Week 5 for what at first was believed to be his poor performance a week earlier against the Buccaneers — until NFL Network reported Apple was benched for poor conduct in practice and for mouthing off to an assistant coach. Apple did not hide his displeasure with not starting, though he did play 63 of the final 69 defensive snaps.
Afterward, Apple said he felt he was scapegoated and added, “It’s not just one guy. It’s the whole culture, it’s everything. We’ve got to fix it.’’ That remark did not sit well with the coaching staff or Apple’s teammates.