‘Cancun on 3′: Bengals’ Eli Apple teases Bills over early playoff exit and offers to pay for Buffalo teammates Stefon Diggs and Josh Allen to go ‘couples therapy’ after sideline spat
Bengals cornerback Eli Apple continues to ridicule Bills teammates Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs in the aftermath of Cincinnati’s Divisional Round playoff win over Buffalo on Sunday in Orchard Park.
Diggs, Buffalo’s most productive receiver, was seen berating Allen, the team’s All-Pro quarterback, on the sideline only to have those images go viral on social media. The 29-year-old Diggs later defended himself on Twitter, writing: ‘It’s easy to criticize my reaction more than the result.’
Apple, who helped limit Diggs to just four catches for 35 yards on Sunday, responded to the Tweet by writing ‘Cancun on 3′ – a nod to the abrupt ending to the Bills’ season. The insult was popularized by former Los Angeles Lakers guard Nick Van Exel in the late 1990s, but has become common refrain in the NBA and NFL during postseason play.
Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Eli Apple (20) defends a pass intended for Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs (14) during the second half of Sunday’s playoff win in Orchard Park
Furthermore, Apple’s tweet included an emoji of two hands making the shape of a heart – an apparent reference to Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who continues to recover from an on-field cardiac arrest suffered on January 2 in the previous meeting between the two teams. Hamlin was seen making a similar gesture for fans and cameras while standing in a private suite atop Highmark Stadium on Sunday in his first public appearance since being released from the hospital.
The 27-year-old Apple was hardly finished there.
In response to a clip of Diggs haranguing Allen on the Bills’ sideline Sunday, Apple tweeted: ‘Someone get them in couples therapy @JoshAllenQB and @stefondiggs I’ll pay on God.’
In addition to retweeting some criticism of Diggs, Apple also reposted a meme of actor Chris Tucker lighting a $100 bill on fire alongside the caption: ‘Josh Allen in big games.’
He also seemed to take credit for one Allen incompletion intended for Diggs by posting the clip with an emoji of a fastened padlock.
Apple has certainly been on the other side of social media critiques.
In last year’s Super Bowl, Apple was burned for several big plays by the Los Angeles Rams receiver Cooper Kupp.
‘RIP to Eli Apples (sic) mentions,’ tweeted former Giants kicker Lawrence Tynes after the Bengals cornerback yielded a game-winning touchdown to Kupp.
Another person changed Apple’s Wikipedia page to read: ‘Apple was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to his mother Annie Apple and his father Cooper Kupp.’
But for as much criticism as he’s taken, Apple has been the first to dish it out as well.
When Brady referred to the Bengals’ defense as ‘fair tough’ before a meeting in 2022, only to lose to Cincinnati, 34-23, Apple was quick to directly reference the quote with reporters
‘He was fairly okay, but not good enough to win,’ Apple said of Brady.
Apple and the rest of the Bengals are now preparing for a second consecutive AFC Championship game in Kansas City, where they beat the Chiefs in overtime last season to advance to the Super Bowl.
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