Eli Apple's Brother Says Mom Is 'Pulling the Strings,' Is Actually 'the Cancer'

Dane Blackson, Eli Apple's half-brother, told TMZ Sports on Wednesday he believes that their mother, Annie Apple, has fueled the New York Giants cornerback's recent string of bad behavior. 

"I feel like when people say Eli's like a cancer...I just think of mom when people say like words and use these types of adjectives," Blackson said of Annie. 

"I feel like he never had a fair shot. I mean, a lot of this s--t that you could be judging him on, there's really a master behind him pulling the strings. So, as far as Eli being the cancer, I don't really see Eli being the cancer more than I see mom being the cancer and him not being able to distance himself."

Blackson's remarks came one day after Giants safety Landon Collins referred to Apple as a "cancer" in an interview with 98.7 ESPN New York. 

Blackson's comments also echoed those he made to NJ Advance Media's Dan Duggan in a piece that was published Dec. 23. 

"Eli is the youngest (son), so when it comes to just being easily manipulated, I feel like he was always the perfect candidate out of all of us," Blackson said, per Duggan. "Out of the three—me, Devion and Eli—Eli was more the mama's boy."

Apple's spiral has also reportedly been the product of their mother's divorce with Eli's stepfather, Tim Apple. 

According to Duggan, "an abrupt falling out" with Tim has led to divisions within the family. 

"One of the biggest reasons Eli is declining so much this year as opposed to last year is (Tim's absence)," Blackson said. "I know everyone always talks about the fame and all of the attention and how all of that can go to your head.

"But you have to imagine that from middle school to the NFL, Tim was there. Tim made this whole thing happen. Tim didn't miss a game. Whenever Eli looked for that support, that was always there. Now, this year whenever he goes to look for support, it's not real, it's not genuine."

The Giants suspended Apple for the final game of the regular season on Wednesday, citing "a pattern of behavior that is conduct detrimental to the team.

According to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, "Apple's suspension stemmed partly from an argument he had Wednesday with an assistant coach and then his subsequent refusal to take the practice field with the scout team."