Shannon Sharpe Called Julian Edelman A “Dirty Player”
Notorious Patriots hater, Shannon Sharpe, was up to his old tricks again. Sharpe sent out this ridiculous tweet, which started a back and forth twitter exchange with former Patriots linebacker Matt Chatham after Sharpe called Julian Edelman a “dirty player”. Chatham made him eat his words in a hilarious back and forth in Edelman’s defense.
Julian Edelman has been fined over 63k dollars for 3 separate unnecessary roughness penalties against Buffalo last Sunday. I’ve said on numerous occasions for yrs. He’s a dirty player. Being small and white gets you labeled gritty, hard nosed, tough. No he’s dirty.
— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) December 30, 2018
He catches passes, but also enjoys the physical part of the game…seeks contact. You caught a ton of balls, but shied away from contact. You wouldn’t understand. That you’d resort to weak, terrible analysis…very understandable. https://t.co/kbbYp5aB30
— Matt Chatham (@chatham58) December 30, 2018
It continued when Sharpe called Chatham a JAG, or “just another guy.”
Sit this one out JAG. ?? https://t.co/nUFNUHuK1w
— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) December 30, 2018
I am a “JAG.” Just a special teams LB that you wanted no part of on the flield. You don’t need to remember, I do. Ya screamed to the ref for help throughout the drive, your voice going up octaves I’ve rarely heard another man’s voice go. He laughed at u. I laughed at u. Take care https://t.co/3WtPuWODnu
— Matt Chatham (@chatham58) December 30, 2018
I graduated from special teams, unfortunately you couldn’t. Bruh, you didn’t want smoke from me, ever!!! https://t.co/3Y4p6C594z
— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) December 30, 2018
This also got Donté Stallworth involved, who played a little more than a season for the Patriots. Stallworth responded that he agreed there was something of a double standard in how black and white players are generally perceived, but said he disagreed with the claim Edelman was dirty.
Stallworth said the Edelman was just a “rare” wide receiver who is “not afraid to mix it up with” defensive players.
“A dirty player, in *my definition, is someone who intentionally tries to hurt/injure other players,” he said. “That is not Julian.”
I agree with this: “Being small and white gets you labeled gritty, hard nosed, tough.” But I don’t agree that he is a dirty player. A dirty player, in *my definition, is someone who intentionally tries to hurt/injure other players. That is not Julian. https://t.co/5jiqT5PqAW
— Donté Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) December 30, 2018
Edelman does have a reputation for being a very tough player. He’s so small, quick and strong, that often times the grit he plays with can cause him to get in trouble with the officials. Nonetheless, Edelman is all heart and should be celebrated for being the rare and extremely tough receiver that he is.