The Broncos came to the defense of their teammate, cornerback Aqib Talib, on Monday. Not surprisingly, the Raiders did the same with their teammate, wide receiver Michael Crabtree, on Tuesday.
Cornerback David Amerson said he “understands” why Crabtree did what he did after Talib ripped off his chain for a second time.
“We’re in front of millions of people, and you’ve got to handle yourself accordingly,” Amerson, who will return to practice Wednesday after missing the past four games with a foot injury, said, via Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “At some point, it becomes a respect thing. I’m pretty sure [Crabtree] was tired of people making jokes about the chain snatching, this and that. Of course, you want to be a team guy, which he is. He is a team guy. Like I said, me personally, I understand everything -- how he felt about that. I couldn’t say I wouldn’t do the same thing. Not saying that I encourage it or anything like that, but I understand it. I feel like any man can understand that situation at this point.”
Talib first ripped off Crabtree’s necklace in the 2016 regular-season finale, twirling it like a trophy. Crabtree, who missed the first meeting with the Broncos this season with an injury, came prepared this time. He taped the chain to him before Sunday’s game, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Talib still managed to steal it.
“In the streets, a chain around your neck is like a trophy, something that you work hard for, something that obviously costs a lot of money, something that you value,” Amerson said. “For somebody to come and snatch that off your neck, they’re taking your manhood. They’re taking something you really value and care about. It’s a sticky situation.”
It begs the question: Where is the chain now?