Landon Collins suddenly vouching for teammate Eli Apple
Landon Collins
ATLANTA â Landon Collins  wants  his  troubled teammate back  but prefers to pass on the legendary head coach.
The Giantsâ Pro Bowl safety  in attendance for Monday nightâs national championship game between Alabama   his  alma mater  and Georgia  voiced support for maligned cornerback Eli Apple.  He   however  doesnât want to see Patriots coach Bill Belichick return to East Rutherford as had been rumored as a possibility in the wake of an ESPN story that detailed friction among Belichick  quarterback Tom Brady and owner Robert Kraft.
âMy relationship can be repaired with  him  â  Collins  said of Apple  with whom  he  feuded through the media this season. âOur relationship can be mended. I donât know what  his  mindset is right now.  He âs kind of all over the place right now. You can see that with  his  Twitter rant. We got to have an understanding why  he âs playing football  because you got to be playing football to be one of the best players  not to be on the team and blowing your opportunity.â
Apple struggled mightily in his second season  appearing in only 11 games. He was inactive for a four-game stretch late in the year and suspended for the final game of the season. He clashed with Collins  who called him a âcancerâ after Apple indirectly called  Collins  a liar when the safety said he was trying to help him through his struggles. Apple has recently been spending time on Twitter going at critical Giants fans.
 Collins  told The Post  he  and Apple havenât spoken since having a sit-down with interim coach Steve Spagnuolo the final week of the regular season  and wouldnât say whether either apologized to the other  wanting to keep the conversation private. But  he  plans to reach out to  him  soon  and spend time with  him  in the offseason.  He  believes Apple will be back with the Giants despite the myriad issues  he  dealt with and created this season.
âI think the organization should keep  him  â  Collins  said. â He âs a first-rounder.  He  does a good job when  his  head is on straight on the field. â¦ I want  him  to be here. I want  him  to be under my wing  and I can continue pushing  him   continuing teaching  him  how this game is and how this business goes  and help  him  grow up as much as I can.â
As for Belichick  the five-time Super Bowl-winning coach who said on Monday  he  âabsolutelyâ plans to stay with the Patriots   Collins  said Belichick is too similar to  his  college coach  Nick Saban  for his taste. He credited Sabanâs rigid style with getting him to the NFL  but itâs not something he wants to live through again.
âThe way he runs his organization  Iâve been through that process. I donât like it â  Collins  said. âItâs too strict. â¦. Heâs a great winner  heâs a great coach. I donât know if [his style] is what the organization really wants.
 Collins  doesnât have a specific choice for whom  he  wants the Giants to hire.  He  has yet to meet with new general manager Dave Gettleman  but plans to do so this week once  he  returns to New Jersey.  He âs been impressed so far by the new boss  who fired vice president of player evaluation Marc Ross and cut right tackle Bobby Hart the day before the regular-season finale.
â He âs sticking to  his  word  what  his  words were? âKicking ass ââ  Collins  said. âIâm happy about that. I like that  he âs enforcing what  he  said  he  was going to do. Thatâs the biggest thing.â
ATLANTA â  [TGT]   wants  his  troubled teammate back  but prefers to pass on the legendary head coach.
The Giantsâ Pro Bowl safety  in attendance for Monday nightâs national championship game between Alabama   his  alma mater  and Georgia  voiced support for maligned cornerback Eli Apple.  He   however  doesnât want to see Patriots coach Bill Belichick return to East Rutherford as had been rumored as a possibility in the wake of an ESPN story that detailed friction among Belichick  quarterback Tom Brady and owner Robert Kraft.
âMy relationship can be repaired with  him  â  Collins  said of Apple  with whom  he  feuded through the media this season. âOur relationship can be mended. I donât know what  his  mindset is right now.  He âs kind of all over the place right now. You can see that with  his  Twitter rant. We got to have an understanding why  he âs playing football  because you got to be playing football to be one of the best players  not to be on the team and blowing your opportunity.â
Apple struggled mightily in his second season  appearing in only 11 games. He was inactive for a four-game stretch late in the year and suspended for the final game of the season. He clashed with Collins  who called him a âcancerâ after Apple indirectly called  Collins  a liar when the safety said he was trying to help him through his struggles. Apple has recently been spending time on Twitter going at critical Giants fans.
 Collins  told The Post  he  and Apple havenât spoken since having a sit-down with interim coach Steve Spagnuolo the final week of the regular season  and wouldnât say whether either apologized to the other  wanting to keep the conversation private. But  he  plans to reach out to  him  soon  and spend time with  him  in the offseason.  He  believes Apple will be back with the Giants despite the myriad issues  he  dealt with and created this season.
âI think the organization should keep  him  â  Collins  said. â He âs a first-rounder.  He  does a good job when  his  head is on straight on the field. â¦ I want  him  to be here. I want  him  to be under my wing  and I can continue pushing  him   continuing teaching  him  how this game is and how this business goes  and help  him  grow up as much as I can.â
As for Belichick  the five-time Super Bowl-winning coach who said on Monday  he  âabsolutelyâ plans to stay with the Patriots   Collins  said Belichick is too similar to  his  college coach  Nick Saban  for his taste. He credited Sabanâs rigid style with getting him to the NFL  but itâs not something he wants to live through again.
âThe way he runs his organization  Iâve been through that process. I donât like it â  Collins  said. âItâs too strict. â¦. Heâs a great winner  heâs a great coach. I donât know if [his style] is what the organization really wants.
 Collins  doesnât have a specific choice for whom  he  wants the Giants to hire.  He  has yet to meet with new general manager Dave Gettleman  but plans to do so this week once  he  returns to New Jersey.  He âs been impressed so far by the new boss  who fired vice president of player evaluation Marc Ross and cut right tackle Bobby Hart the day before the regular-season finale.
â He âs sticking to  his  word  what  his  words were? âKicking ass ââ  Collins  said. âIâm happy about that. I like that  he âs enforcing what  he  said  he  was going to do. Thatâs the biggest thing.â