Landon Collins Apologizes for Criticism of Eli Apple, Calling CB a 'Cancer'

New York Giants safety Landon Collins tweeted Wednesday he met with teammate Eli Apple to apologize for calling him a "cancer" during an interview Tuesday:

When asked about the apology, Apple dismissed the question, saying, "I gotta take a s--t," per Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News.

Collins' critical comments came when he was speaking to Bob Wischusen on The Michael Kay Show (h/t ESPN.com's Jordan Raanan):

"There's only just one corner that ... needs to grow, and we all know who that is. That would be the only person I would change out of our secondary group. Besides, the other two guys, [Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie] and [Janoris Jenkins], I love those two guys. They play hard. They love what they do. But that first pick ... he's a cancer."

Collins also questioned Apple's commitment to the team after the Giants' 23-0 Week 16 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

"I feel like Eli Apple has checked out," Collins said to ESPN's Josina Anderson (h/t the New York Post's Mark W. Sanchez). "If you go back to the game on Sunday, Eli was sitting down on the sideline. That's not what we need right now."

While it would be unfair to place all of the blame on Apple, he has had a role in the Giants' regression from one of the best defenses against the pass to one of the worst. New York is allowing the second-most passing yards (260.1 per game) in the NFL, and it ranks 25th in pass defense DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average), according to Football Outsiders.

The 2017 season may be nearing its end, but it will be important that Collins and Apple hash out their differences.

Collins just made his second Pro Bowl and is signed through the 2018 season, while Apple, a first-round pick in 2016, still has two years remaining on his rookie deal. It doesn't appear Collins or Apple will be going anywhere this offseason, so they'll share the secondary for at least one more year.

Since that's the case, the Giants won't want Collins and Apple to carry any hostility into 2018.