Former NFL great and current NFL Network analyst Warren Sapp reportedly called Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall a “retard” on The Dan Patrick Show this past Friday.
Sapp was talking about today’s players and how they don’t respect the players who played before them.
“These kids that play the game today have no relevance for the past, have no conscious of what it is,” Sapp said via ESPNChicago.com. “I mean, Brandon Marshall talking about Shannon Sharpe, who is he to talk? He’s the first 100-catch receiver, back-to-back, retard. What you just did in Denver for three years. You don’t know this? No, of course he doesn’t, because it’s not about Brandon Marshall … it ain’t about the past, it’s about me. It’s about personal success, pay me, and now I’ll think about being a team guy.”
Marshall fired back with comments of his own earlier this morning via Twitter. He took it personally and actually called out Warren Sapp on his current problems in life.
“I got a really disturbing heads-up on something Warren Sapp said, called me retarded. That’s really disappointing to hear that from an NFL legend, but I’m going to take this as a lesson, and I think we all can learn from this,” Marshall said in the video posted on Twitter this morning. “Be very careful who you take advice from. You want to surround yourself with good people, godly people. When I look at Warren Sapp, I can’t go to him and talk about finances because he filed for bankruptcy. I can’t go to him and talk about my marriage because he filed for divorce. I can’t go to him and talk about being a father because one day I’m going to have children because he’s not active in his children’s life.”
Marshall proceeded to post a second video because clearly he was agitated about the comments Sapp made towards him.
“All we can do is try to encourage him to be better, but at the same time we’re going to hold you accountable, Warren,” Marshall said via Twitter. “Just like I’m held accountable. I’ve made my share of mistakes, and I’m going to continue to make my mistakes, but I’m never going to put myself on a platform or a podium where I think I’m invisible, untouchable.
“Warren, take this as words of encouragement and not words to criticize you or destroy you. This is out of truth and love.”
My thoughts:
It is one thing for a current NFL player to take a stab at a former NFL great, but the other way around that’s not right. Warren Sapp is clearly in the wrong here, even if he really stands behind his comments he should never say that on the radio or television. Just because you have a say as an analyst doesn’t mean you should abuse those rights and completely attack somebody.
I think Marshall did the right thing by commenting back on Sapp’s judgement. Sapp should know better by now since he’s basically been with NFL Network since he retired in 2007. Considering how much Marshall has gone through as of late its really just mean for someone like Sapp to make a comment of that nature. Sapp is a role model to many who’ve watched the game in the past and now because of his status as an analyst with NFL Network.
This feud should end here. It should be a lesson to all sports analysts that you have to be careful about what you say. It’s kinda surprising to see Marshall comment back via Twitter, but I guess that’s the only outlet he has. The Bears should be upset that Marshall chose to comment back through social media, but honestly nothing too harsh was said back to Sapp.
Jake Perper is the owner and head writer for Bearsbacker.com. Follow him on Twitter, @Bearsbacker and on Facebook for up to the minute news about the Bears.
