Eli Apple loves his mother and understands she’s outspoken.
But he also wanted to make it clear he’s just over here doing his job.
After his mother Annie Apple blasted Giants owner John Mara for comments regarding kicker Josh Brown’s admission of abuse, and then doubled down with a column about her history of being abused, the rookie cornerback had the same reaction many others did.
“How are you a so-called champion of domestic violence but lack basic compassion for a victim?” Annie Apple wrote. “Yes, this man signs my son’s checks as I’ve been reminded on Twitter. Mr. Mara owns the New York Giants. He doesn’t own Annie Apple. Wrong is wrong. And Mr. Mara’s comments were unapologetically wrong and hit at a raw place.”
“I was like, ‘godd--n,’” Apple said, via Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News. “But she’s her own person. She’s gonna do whatever she wants to do. She’s gonna talk about this. I’ve just got to understand that. It’s cool.
“My mom’s very vocal and that topic is very important to her, so I can understand where she was coming from. But at the same time in my position I just have to do my part and play football and do what I can do.”
Apple said he’s had conversations with the Giants organization about the topic.
“I’ll be good on that front,” Eli Apple said. “I talked to them, let them know my mom, her reactions like that sometimes are like that, she’s her own person, she’s gonna do that, so I’ve just got to do my job. I just made sure I talked to everybody, man, just let them know, whoever is concerned. . . .
“She has a voice, she has a voice and she’s gonna use it no matter. I love her for that. She’s a unique woman and she’s always gonna speak up no matter what and I can’t really control that. I’ve just got to play football, . . . I tried to (talk to her). She’s a little upset at everybody right now, so I’m probably gonna give her her space a little bit.”
It’s an unusual position for the son to have to be in, to be discussing the words of his mother. But from the moment she agreed to step into the spotlight, it was also a little inevitable.