Super Bowl 2022: Former Giants teammates Eli Apple and Odell Beckham Jr. will be friendly rivals

Eli Apple and Odell Beckham, Jr. had rocky times in New York and unceremonious exits from the Giants. On Sunday, the two will be lining up against each other in Super Bowl LVI.

Apple, the Bengals cornerback, is looking forward to seeing Beckham and trying to shut down the Rams’ gifted receiver. Apple said he and Beckham "have a pretty good relationship." Apple credits Beckham for helping prepare him in practice early in his career for what he would face each week playing corner in the NFL.

"He really taught me what I can expect my first day going against him as a rookie," Apple said. "He helped mold me and helped my confidence. Even off the field, he’s a great guy, always somebody I could talk to."

Apple said Beckham was the first person to text him when he got drafted.

"He gave out that hand for me where he’s like reach out," Apple said. "He’s been like that even after I left the Giants. Somebody I love, somebody I definitely truly appreciate everything he’s done. Now we got to compete. I can’t wait. I can’t wait for that."

The Giants selected Apple with the 10th pick in 2016, two years after taking Beckham. Apple was gone 2 ½ years later after a tumultuous time with the Giants.

He was fined for tweeting during a game, suspended for "a pattern of behavior that is conduct detrimental to the team" and was called "a cancer" by former Giant Landon Collins. The Giants traded Apple to the Saints in October of 2018.

Apple was asked about his time as a Giant on Wednesday. He kept it very vague and tried to be positive."

"It was a learning experience," he said. "We had great times. Some things happened after that. Just a lot to learn from. It was fun, though. I met a lot of great people, a lot of great teammates. I enjoyed it."

Apple took this tack throughout his Super Bowl Zoom call when other things were brought up, including his tweets and his short time with the Panthers last year. They waived him in the middle of the season.

After the Bengals advanced to the AFC Championship Game, Apple trolled the Giants and Saints fan bases on Twitter. He tweeted that he doesn’t know "which fan base I hate more." He then said Saints but called it "a toss up."

The Bengals seem to have accepted Apple and all that comes with him. His Cincinnati position coaches speak highly of him and how quickly he’s fit in. Apple praises them for letting him have input.

"The coaches have been able to adapt to me a little bit," Apple said. "Most coaches are so strict and too much on to themselves where they’re just, ‘You got to do everything my way.’ They’re open to suggestions. To me, they’re the best with that that I’ve been around."

Apple’s teammates talk about his "edge," "swagger" and "mean streak," and that it’s important to have those things to play cornerback.

"He’s a really special talent," said defensive end Trey Hendrickson, who also played with Apple in New Orleans. "He can go toe-to-toe with anyone in this league."

When Apple is lined up against Beckham, Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, who was the Giants’ secondary coach in 2018, hopes that familiarity leads to success.

"I hope it helps," Anarumo said. "They did go against each other a lot in OTAs, training camp, one-on-ones, things like that. Odell is a great player. Eli is playing with a ton of confidence right now. … I'm just proud of the way he has come in this year and helped us get to where we are at today. We wouldn't be here without him. I'm very proud of him."

Apple had a huge play in the AFC Championship in Kansas City that definitely changed the game. He tackled Tyreek Hill short of the goal line just before time ran out in the second quarter. It kept the score 21-10. Cincinnati won the game 27-24.

Apple hopes to have a similar impact in the Super Bowl for the Bengals coaches because they have trusted him.

"I want to put all my focus on this game and reward them with all the faith that they’ve put in me all year to let me do what I can to get to this point," Apple said. "It’s been a whole collaborative team effort. We just want to end it the best way we know how to – that’s with a win."