This year’s Super Bowl featured a back and forth affair that saw the Los Angeles Rams defeat the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20. The game came down to the wire, with the Rams marching down the field late in the fourth quarter for a touchdown drive capped by Rams receiver Cooper Kupp catching the game-winning touchdown over Bengals cornerback Eli Apple (who previously committed PI on another play on that drive). Here’s that catch:
Extremely fitting with the season he's had that it's Cooper Kupp!
The Rams take a 23-20 lead with 1:25 to go in Super Bowl LVI! pic.twitter.com/kCmelXUx4c
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) February 14, 2022
Apple had himself a game to forget Sunday, allowing touchdown catches from both Kupp and Odell Beckham Jr. and also committing that costly pass interference call that helped set up the Rams final touchdown. Simply put, it was a bad day to be Eli Apple.
This came after Apple had a career-reviving season with the Bengals. He started his career as a first-round pick with the New York Giants and played for them from 2016 through 2018, but was traded to the New Orleans Saints during the 2018 season for a fourth-round pick and a seventh-round pick. The Saints declined the option on his contract in the spring of 2019, and he didn’t play that year. He signed with the Carolina Panthers in May 2020, but was released by them in October 2020. He then signed with the Bengals this March and became a starter, posting 49 tackles, two interceptions, and a fumble recovery in 16 regular-season games (15 starts), and started all four of their playoff games. But Sunday’s game definitely had some lowlights for him, and many players not too fond of Apple took their chance to roast him afterwards.
“What happen to Eli Apple “ pic.twitter.com/qAuBusHWId
— Cam Sutton (@Camdocious_) February 14, 2022
@EliApple Wish you was a better corner bro then the game winning touchdown wouldn’t been scored on you 🤷🏾♂️
— Mecole Hardman Jr. (@MecoleHardman4) February 14, 2022
https://twitter.com/Cantguardmike/status/1493055039148998656
🍎.
— Rashod Bateman (@R_bateman2) February 14, 2022
Apple Pack Gone Hit Hard In LA.. 😮💨 https://t.co/vxkZDrgogs
— Hollywood Brown (@Primetime_jet) February 14, 2022
🤣🤣🤣 https://t.co/Qq4RTR4jEW pic.twitter.com/w3P8EzigdR
— Lamar Jackson (@Lj_era8) February 14, 2022
It’s not new for Apple to face criticism from his fellow players during his career. Giants teammate Landon Collins called him “a cancer” for the team back in 2017.
Apple also blasted both the Giants and the New Orleans Saints, two of his former teams, in a tweet after the Bengals defeated the Tennessee Titans. He said he hated both fanbases, and also threw shade at New Orleans food, which led to a full roasting from those fanbase (and local media outlets).
https://twitter.com/EliApple/status/1485460124063911937
https://twitter.com/EliApple/status/1485500825854259204
So there’s some reason for some of the fan roasting, but it’s interesting that it spread to players too. And some of it may be deserved: with Kupp’s final touchdown catch, the NFL’s Next Gen Stats showed that Apple was tied for the most touchdown catches with him being the closest defender this postseason.
According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Eli Apple has been the nearest defender on 3 TD this postseason.
That ties him with KC's Mike Hughes for the most of any individual defender this postseason.
Apple was the nearest defender on Cooper Kupp's TD in the 2nd quarter. pic.twitter.com/jEV74kzDRh
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) February 14, 2022
Given Apple’s reputation around the league, it is not surprising that he was criticized as much as he was for his performance. He is a player who has had by far the best year of his career with the Bengals, but this is definitely a game that critics and his peers will not soon forget.
