Asante Samuel wanted a debate. The former NFL cornerback tweeted, asking if someone “could please explain” why Hall of Fame and former Redskins cornerback Darrell Green was considered great. “He played 19 years and was mostly a nickel back. 54 INT’s in 19 years. Talk to me????” Samuel tweeted.
It did not go over well.
“Asante while you played some great football in the 2000’s you obviously don’t know much about football that was played in the 80s & 90s,” tweeted former Colts coach Tony Dungy. “Darrell Green played on the outside, not as a nickel. He traveled with the best receiver and was a TOP ECHELON CB for almost 2 decades!!”
“If you don’t know, then you’re a damn fool!!!!” former running back Brian Mitchell said.
Samuel, a two-time Super Bowl champion who played for the New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons across 11 seasons, tried defending himself.
He said Green’s longevity didn’t make him great, noting journeyman Terrance Newman played almost 17 years.
Green spent 20 seasons with Washington from 1983 to 2002. A two-time Super Bowl champion and seven-time Pro Bowler, Green was a shutdown corner who was a first-ballot Hall of Famer, inducted in 2008.
Here’s a sample of replies to Samuel:
Guys like Revis and DG were assigned match up and take that player out of the game.
— Will Blackmon 🍷 (@WillBlackmon) July 4, 2020
Maybe they didn’t get much action. Especially in press you don’t have eyes on the QB.
We literally have coverages now were we bait qbs and we call it “Asante technique” lol.
I’m totally speechless over this tweet. Know your crafts history before saying something this foolish man. DG wasn’t a nickel corner until the end of his career. The majority of his career he was a lockdown #1 CB on some historically good SB teams. #httr
— Lake Lewis Jr (@LakeLewis) July 5, 2020
I assume you’re going after Darrell because he’s a good dude and won’t resort to Twitter wars.
— Marcus (@ShyMarcus) July 4, 2020
Maybe if you didn’t let that game-winning INT slip through your hands in SB XLII…
2× Super Bowl champion
— RedskinsBucks (@rudybux) July 5, 2020
7× Pro Bowl (1984, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1996, 1997)
4× First-team All-Pro (1986, 1987, 1990, 1991)
Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year (1996)
NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
Washington Redskins Ring of Fame
Bart Starr Award
I love it when they say “With all do respect” and then completely disrespect exhibit A. 🤦🏻♂️
— D Michael Vick (@mvicksports) July 5, 2020
6 post season INTs that is pretty good/great and 2 TD’s. I saw something that said they didn’t throw the ball as much… that’s a good point. Speed doesn’t mean much. The longer you play the more productivity you should have. I am only comparing him and all of us to recent and https://t.co/1mELssggmQ
— Asante Samuel (@pick_six22) July 4, 2020
Samuel’s initial tweet has over 1,000 replies.
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.