Jared Verse put a bulls-eye on his back. He said on Friday that he hates Eagles fans. Gulp!
Eagles fans who will wedge their way into Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday evening just might have something to say about that to the Rams’ rookie edge rusher. And if it’s snowing?
“I wouldn’t be surprised if snowballs are thrown on the sideline,” said cornerback Darius Slay. “But they’ll already be loud, it’s playoff time.”
Oh yes, loud and surly, especially toward Verse. But hey, sometimes rookies have to learn these things on their own.
“I hate Eagles fans,” the he told The Los Angeles Times. “They’re so annoying. I hate Eagles fans.”
Verse said his first encounter as a professional with Eagles fans didn’t go well. That was back on Nov. 24 at SoFi Stadium in L.A. where the Eagles ran roughshod over L.A. in a 37-20 win. There were big pockets of Eagles fans who jeered Verse, he said.
"I didn't even do nothing to 'em,” he said. “It was my first time playing. Oh, I hate Eagles fans. ... When I see that green and white, I hate it. I actually get upset. Like I actually genuinely get hot.”
Slay didn't take issue with it; too much.
"Theres a lot of fools who don’t like Eagles fans, " he said."There’s a lot of people who played for the Eagles who don’t like Eagles fans, so it’s cool."
Verse grew up in Pennsylvania, though not exactly Eagles country. He went to Bloomsburg High School for three. years, which is tucked away in Columbia County, about 150 miles north and slightly west of the city limits. Maybe something happened along the way that led him to hate Eagles fans. If so, maybe he should have kept that to himself.
“Probably not the smartest thing to say when you’re coming to Philadelphia,” said running back Saquon Barkley. “I’ve been on the other side (for six years with the New York Giants), and even if I felt some type of way, I probably wouldn’t give them any extra fuel. I’m pretty sure Philly fans have seen that comment. It was already going to be pretty loud and rocking, so that’s only going to add to it.”
Verse is having a solid rookie season. Perhaps he will even earn the league’s defensive rookie of the year honors. He has generated great pressure all season, but to pretend he is the next Reggie White is foolish. He hasn’t had a sacks since Nov. 11, more than two months ago. And has just 4.5 for the season.
The Eagles will have to know where he is and get him blocked, because their fans will certainly know where is at all times.
Head coach Nick Sirianni tempered Verse’s comments a bit, though.
“Everyone’s got opinions, so I really don't get myself wrapped too much into that,” he said. “I'm sure the Philly crowd will – regardless of what anyone said, they're going to be hyped. They’re going to be rowdy. They're going to make it challenging for the opposition to operate in the noise. I'm sure glad that we have the home field advantage that we do.”
Verse will find that out soon enough.
