This has not been an easy season for Eli Apple.
Safety Landon Collins said on Wednesday that he and other teammates have had sit-downs with the enigmatic second-year corner over the course of the season and is surprised that Apple is even still with the team after all that he has gone through off the field.
“He’s got lot of personal things that’s going on in his life at this point that no player is — I’m surprised he’s still here,” Collins said. “And didn’t kind of step away from the game, because most players would. He’s got a lot going on with the situation. That’s when you have to be a brother toward him and tell him we got your back and we’re here for you.”
Apple, who was unavailable for comment, has not played in the last four games — with only the most recent due to injury — and has received plenty of criticism of late. Most recently his retweeting of Cowboys running back Rod Smith — his former Ohio State teammate — completing an 81-yard touchdown against his current teammates in Sunday’s 30-10 loss.
Collins said the tweet did not bother anyone on the team and even added that if his former Alabama teammate Amari Cooper made a one-handed catch for a reception over him, he would retweet that.
However, interim head coach Steve Spagnuolo said Apple will have to “deal with some repercussions.”
“I don’t want to pass judgment on a kid’s attitude or character,” Spagnuolo said. “I think that’s just between me and him … he’s a young man that, look, I’m into building up not breaking down. So we’ll try to keep building up.”
Apple last played on Nov. 12 in a 31-21 loss to the 49ers and did not dress for the next game because he missed two practices to be with his mother, who was undergoing surgery.
The day before Apple left the team to be with his mother, he reportedly threatened to leave the facility after his lack of effort was put on display in a team meeting going over the film from the loss to the 49ers.
It was just one of a recent string of games where Apple’s performance appeared to be on the decline from his promising rookie season.
“It’s mental,” Collins said. “Right now he has a lot of personal issues.”
Apple was back at practice and off the injury report on Wednesday, but was doing work with the scout team instead of the starters, according to Spagnuolo.
Collins still has plenty of faith in Apple, adding that he has “the most talent in the world” and could do “amazing things” but reiterated that it is mental with him and that he’s fighting a battle within himself.
“At the end of the day, we have to go into battle whether if he’s on the field or not on the field,” Collins said. “We have to go to practice with him and we need him to be here. We need him to want to be here and not fighting against us or fighting against the coaches. Because if he’s fighting against the coaches or the organization or whatever he’s fighting against in his head, we don’t need him fighting us because that causes conflict.”
