Broncos HC Joseph calls Talib, Crabtree fight ‘unacceptable’
Nov 26, 2017, 7:29 PM
Amid the frustration of dropping a seventh consecutive game, Denver Broncos head coach called the brouhaha between cornerback Aqib Talib and Oakland Raiders wide receiver Michael Crabtree “unacceptable.”
In what Joseph described as a “personal battle,” Talib and Crabtree exchanged haymakers and earned ejections just minutes into Sunday’s matchup in Oakland.
“It’s unacceptable. We can’t have it. It’s non-negotiable,” Joseph said after the game. “Obviously, losing one of our best players and playing a young guy, it hurt us tonight. So, we can’t have it.”
Joseph said he did not “see the whole play” but ended up dealing with the result.
“Both teams lost two of their best players. It’s nonsense. It’s silly,” Joseph said. “So, I don’t know what exactly happened, but I know it can’t happen, to our football team especially.”
Entering Sunday’s game, Crabtree led the Raiders in terms of receptions (42), touchdowns (6), and receiving yards per game (55.8).
Talib, according to Pro Football Focus, grades out as not only the Broncos top cornerback but No. 15 in the entirety of the NFL.
It’s not the first scrape the two Dallas-area natives have been involved in. In January, during the 2016 regular season finale, Talib snatched away a chain underneath Crabtree’s jersey.
Talib, who also ripped away Crabtree’s chain in Sunday’s fracas, said at the time, “He’s just been wearing that chain all year, man. It’s been growing on me. So, I said if he wears that chain in front of me I’ll snatch it off. He wore it in front of me, so I snatched it off.”
After the Jan. 1 on-field incident, Crabtree responded by saying he didn’t have a “history with anybody” and questioned Talib’s actions.
“You aren’t tough. You aren’t defending anybody up like that. You’re acting. You’re snatching chains up on the field. What do you accomplish?” Crabtree said at the time. “Are you hard? Are you tough? Does that make you tough? You’re snatching chains in front of the police and take off running. That was childish man.”
As of Sunday evening, there’s no word on if Talib or Crabtree will face fines and/or suspension.
Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @JohnnyHart7.
