The Miami Dolphins signed Eli Apple as a solution to address the expected long-term absence of Jalen Ramsey. Seemingly excited to suit up for the Dolphins, Apple took to social media to express his thoughts about his new home.
Dialed in 🤞🏿🐬
— Eli Apple (@EliApple) July 30, 2023
Apple will have big shoes to fill after Ramsey’s unfortunate injury that is expected to keep the three-time All-Pro selection out until December.
Incidentally, Apple was the second cornerback selected in the 2016 NFL Draft after Ramsey. The New York Giants brought him in with the No. 10 overall pick, while Ramsey went to the Jacksonville Jaguars at No. 5. Since then, their careers have diverged distinctly.
While Ramsey was becoming a star for the Jaguars and Los Angeles Rams, Apple was becoming a journeyman of sorts. He saw stops with the New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers and Cincinnati Bengals after his Giants stint almost ended on a bad note. Apple had a tension-filled 2017 season in New York, getting into hot water with the coaching staff and being called a “cancer” by one of his teammates.
He started the 2018 campaign with the Giants before getting traded to New Orleans in the middle of the season. These days, the cornerback seems to have put his past behind him, even helping the Bengals reach the Super Bowl in the 2021 season against Ramsey and the Rams.
The 2021 campaign also saw Apple call out Dolphins star Tyreek Hill, who was still a member of the Kansas City Chiefs then. Cincinnati defeated Kansas City on its way to the Super Bowl, and Apple decided to rub salt into the wound by chirping Hill on Twitter.
The taunt came back to haunt Apple. His poor play down the stretch of the Super Bowl hurt the Bengals as they lost to the Rams by three points. That resulted in Hill and other NFL players trolling the cornerback on social media.
Hopefully, Apple and Hill have patched things up, as the Dolphins need both players to step up this season if they want to compete for a championship.
