Fire up the grill and pick your favorite cut, because we've got some beef on "Thursday Night Football" this week as the Bengals host the Dolphins.
Tyreek Hill may be on a new team, but he undoubtedly remembers this Bengals team well. They bounced his Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game last year, a 27-24 over time thriller. Now with Miami, Hill enters Cincinnati as part of one of the two last undefeated teams in the league squaring off against the defending AFC champs.
The Bengals have a lot of familiar faces from last year, but none will be more familiar than cornerback Eli Apple. Apple, of course, was part of a pivotal play in the championship game, as the Bengals stacked up Hill on 1-yard line heading into the half. A touchdown would have made it 28-10 heading into the locker room, but as it was Cincinnati went in down 21-10. It would then outscore the Chiefs 14-3 in the second half to force overtime and eventually win.
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After the game, Apple did some celebrating on Twitter, tweeting out "Oh yea that chiefs cheetah pack finna hit way crazier the 2nd time." Apple followed that up with "he's a baby!" in response to the reply.
Oh yea that chiefs cheetah pack finna hit way crazier the 2nd time 🔥😮💨
— Eli Apple (@EliApple) January 30, 2022
Hill clearly didn't forget. When he was told by reporters after Miami's Week 3 win that the Dolphins were set to face the Bengals next, he had some words for the cornerback.
“I can’t wait to go against Eli Apple, man,” Hill said to the scrum. “I owe you boy. I owe you. I’m here. The cheetah is here.”
Once Tyreek Hill was informed the Dolphins are playing the Bengals Thursday, he immediately started talking trash to Eli Apple #Bengals #Dolphins
— Yianni Kourakis (@WPBF_Yianni) September 26, 2022
"I owe you, boy" pic.twitter.com/FYkTa7c9k8
Why do Eli Apple and Tyreek Hill have beef?
Apple and Hill clearly don't exactly get along. After Apple called Hill a baby, Hill took notice and sent Apple a tweet in response, saying "No Twitter beef big dog just hit my line."
No Twitter beef big dog just hit my line https://t.co/OxGkxTpwh3
— Ty Hill (@cheetah) January 30, 2022
After Apple gave up a go-ahead (and eventual game-winning) touchdown to Cooper Kupp in the Super Bowl, Hill didn't take his own advice about no Twitter beef.
😂😂😂
— Ty Hill (@cheetah) February 14, 2022
Got heeee😂😂😂
— Ty Hill (@cheetah) February 14, 2022
Leading into the Super Bowl, it seemed like the Bengals' success really got into Apple's head. He also took aim at his former fans in New York and New Orleans.
Idk which fan base I hate more 🤔 prolly the saints but It’s close wit the giants it’s a toss up
— Eli Apple (@EliApple) January 24, 2022
Apple, of course, re-signed with the Bengals this year.
What are the Bengals saying?
It seems likely the Super Bowl humbled Apple a bit. He's rebranded on Twitter, mostly tweeting about the Bengals as a unit and doing jersey giveaways when possible.
The Bengals secondary, however, isn't taking Hill's "threat" lying down.
"Somebody comes after Eli, he comes after all of us," said star safety Jessie Bates III, per ESPN. "We're all up for the challenge."
Bates also got another lick in.
"I don't know if Eli got him tickets to the Super Bowl last year or not," he said. "I think that's probably why he's a little upset."
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