Livescore
Eli Apple has become one of the most polarizing players in the NFL during the Bengals’ success over the last two seasons.
Apple, a mercurial cornerback, has been a solid piece in Lou Anarumo’s defense and has emerged as the team’s top corner with Chidobe Awuzie out for the season. He hasn’t been consistent, but he has made plenty of timely defensive plays for Cincinnati.
However, he has drawn even more attention off the field for his antics, and that has led one of his NFL peers to compare him to one of the NBA’s top instigators: Patrick Beverley.
POWER RANKINGS: 3 reasons why Bengals can (and can’t) win Super Bowl 57
It was Jets cornerback and Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate Sauce Gardner who made the comparison between the two on Twitter Tuesday.
Eli Apple is the Patrick Beverly of the NFL😂
— SAUCE (@iamSauceGardner) January 25, 2023
And certainly, it would seem to be an apt one.
Apple has taken no issue needling his opponents during his time in the NFL. He certainly did that after the Bengals’ 27-10 win over the Bills when he stood in the visitors’ locker room and proclaimed Cincinnati’s defense the best in the league while smoking a cigar.
Eli Apple leaning against a wall puffing a cigar during every question repeatedly professing his defense the best in the league is some kind to mood. And about sums up the #Bengals locker room.
“We are just the greatest.” – Apple pic.twitter.com/dW3tYNdF5I
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) January 23, 2023
Following that, Apple went after some of the Bills on Twitter. Most notably, he joked that Stefon Diggs and Josh Allen would need “couples therapy” after Buffalo’s offense struggled in a defeat.
Someone get them in couples therapy @JoshAllenQB and @stefondiggs I’ll pay on God 🙏🏿 https://t.co/MIOzAuWdbF
— Eli Apple (@EliApple) January 24, 2023
He also quote tweeted a frustrated Diggs, with the simple phrase “Cancun on 3” and wished him “safe travels to Cabo.”
Cancun on 3 🫶🏿 https://t.co/oOHSw1AMsT
— Eli Apple (@EliApple) January 24, 2023
This is nothing new. After the 2022 AFC Championship Game, he called out then-Chiefs receiver Tyreek Hill for failing to consistently win the matchup against him. He seems to relish poking fun at his opponents in a manner similar to Beverley.
MORE: Eli Apple trolls Stefon Diggs after Bengals’ big win over Bills
In fact, the “Cancun on 3” phrase may have been borrowed from Beverley himself. The current Lakers guard has used that taunt — originated by Nick Van Exel in 1998 — against opponents that have been eliminated from the playoffs, and it has started some notable beefs. That includes one with Damian Lillard which is ongoing to this day.
In fact, Beverley and Lillard had a tiff on the court in the Lakers’ 121-112 win over the Trail Blazers on Monday. That may have been why Beverley was at the forefront of Gardner’s mind.
The similarities between Apple and Beverley don’t stop with their ability to get under the skin of their opponents. Both also represent comeback stories of sorts.
Apple was considered a top-10 draft bust after the Giants cut him in 2018. The Bengals are his fourth NFL team but they are the first with which he has found some consistent success as a starter.
MORE: Isaiah McKenzie details conversation with Stefon Diggs after Bills loss
Meanwhile, Beverley was a second-round pick by the Lakers but spent five years playing overseas before becoming a consistent role player with the Rockets. Now, the 34-year-old is in his 10th NBA season and has established himself as a key role player, just like Apple.
Indeed, Apple and Beverley appear to be cut from the same cloth. The only question is which one of them will earn a leg up first as they each vie for NFL and NBA titles respectively.
Read the full article here
