The Michael Crabtree-Aqib Talib beef has devolved into a game of “he said-he said.”
You’ve probably seen their wild brawl by now: Crabtree recklessly swinging at Talib after the Denver Broncos cornerback snatched the Oakland Raiders wide receiver’s chain (again) in their Week 12 matchup. The scuffle earned both players suspensions and prompted a rather amusing report: According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Crabtree actually taped his chain to himself before the game to prevent a repeat of Talib’s antics from last season’s Week 17 game.
Well, Crabtree caught wind of this report and insists he did nothing of the sort.
“I am just playing ball, man,” the Raiders wideout told The Athletic in a phone interview Tuesday. “ESPN said that I taped the chain to myself before the game because I was worried about it. I didn’t. I don’t care about no chains. … I don’t like how the whole thing got flipped and I am the bad guy.”
Crabtree also denied rumors that he came in looking to pick a fight with Talib over his (first) lost chain.
“I’m not trying to get revenge,” he added. “I’m trying to get a catch in my 122nd straight game and help my team win a big game. I don’t want to get kicked out. I know what’s at stake for my team.”
Only Crabtree knows whether he’s telling the truth about #TapeGate, but Talib wasn’t buying the second part of that quote. In a radio interview with Denver’s Altitude 950 on Wednesday, the All-Pro cornerback insisted Crabtree had an agenda.
“(He) came out there to fight, man,” Talib said, via Pro Football Talk. “He ain’t come out there to play no ball. He came out there to fight. … It was premeditated. So, he punched (Broncos cornerback) Chris (Harris Jr.) on the previous play, came out the next play punched me in my stomach. … I guess he wanted to get kicked out.”
Circle your calendars for the first Raiders-Broncos game of 2018.
