From beef to love – Apple reflects on his relationship with New Orleans.
Over the past couple of years, former New Orleans Saints cornerback Eli Apple hasn’t held back from taking shots at the franchise and its fanbase. But in a recent one-on-one interview with Arizona Cardinals insider Kyle Odegard for ReadWrite, the Los Angeles Chargers unrestricted free agent expressed regret for his remarks and seems to be moving on from social media trolling after reflecting on the backlash that followed.
Apple on regretting his social media beef with Who Dat Nation:
“Oh, man. Honestly, that was one of my biggest mistakes for sure. It was just one of those moments where you are winning and feeling a type of way. So, yeah, I was just sitting there watching football and making my critiques, and then I’m still getting bad replies from the Saints fans. It’s those moments where you let a few bad fans kind of dictate something. My comments went and definitely rubbed people the wrong way. I got messages from everybody in New Orleans. So of course, I retract those statements and send nothing but love to everyone out there.”
Apple on feeling welcomed after his trade to New Orleans:
“They brought me in and embraced everything about me, so honestly, it was nothing but love. Those are probably some of my favorite moments playing football. It felt like college. A lot of guys from Ohio State helped with that transition being traded (from the New York Giants). I remember getting that call. I’m like, ‘Damn, gotta pack up everything in a matter of hours, and I’m going to New Orleans, a completely different city that I’ve never been to before.’ And when I got there, it was nothing but love.”
Does this shift your view of the veteran defensive back after years of turmoil with the fanbase?