Antonio Cromartie once played matador to Shonn Greene’s bull during a Jets 2009 upset playoff victory over the Chargers.
But just to show you what a quick learner the guy is, Cromartie decided it was the right time to go Dick Butkus on Dustin Keller.
Unfortunately, it came after an exasperated Rex Ryan — roar, Rex Lion, roar — had just warned his Jets, in no uncertain terms, about knocking off the stupidity and selfishness and thuggery and start protecting one another 24 hours after they did such a nice job assaulting one another.
“I told the guys about it and sure enough, apparently somebody never got the message,” Rex Lion said.
No one should be surprised that it was Cromartie who didn’t get the message.
As The Cro Flies, Example No. 1:
“I’m gonna punch you in the [bleeping] face if you do that again,” he said to rookie WR Stephen Hill, or someone, as they lined up.
Cromartie then held Hill, and receivers coach Sanjay Lal screamed at official to throw the flag.
As The Cro Flies, Example No. 2:
Cromartie took a cheap shot at Dustin Keller following a reception, knocking him down, against the law. Keller, a terrific teammate, jumped up and went nose-to-nose with Cromartie as others rushed in.
Cromartie may or may not be the second-best receiver on the Jets, which is as sad a commentary on the state of the receiving corps as it is on Cromartie’s foot-in-mouth disease. But when the Tone Deaf depth chart is released, there may be a significant change:
Antonio Cromartie, starter.
Santonio Holmes, backup.
Of course, Rex Lion runs the risk of his entire team becoming Tone Deaf, and that was why he turned the Jets into lap dogs at practice yesterday. Is Life With Cromartie a gasser, or what?
“I thought Cro should have backed off and not hit Dustin and all that,” Rex Lion said. “He’s trying to be physical. He’s trying to pick his play up. We always talk about developing habits. In that situation, it’s your teammate. You don’t want to do it. I thought Cro was wrong in that situation. Again, it wasn’t just we did it because of Cro. We’ve had some cases where there’s been some chippiness and things. It was just time to do it. I think that will remind him.”
Until it goes in one earhole and out the other.
Grow up, already.
Cromartie is a seductive athletic freak, no one disputes that. But there is a reason why the Chargers couldn’t wait to get rid of him.
There is a reason why the Jets made a play last summer for Nnamdi Asomugha then reversed back toward Cromartie only after Asomugha signed with the Eagles.
The guy just doesn’t get it. The guy is his own worst enemy.
He remains a manchild, even at 28 years old, and one of the most compelling arguments for why it is imperative the Jets make Darrelle Revis a Jet for life.
“We all knew there were guys in the locker room who didn’t like him,” cornerback Quentin Jammer told the San Diego Union-Tribune after Cromartie was gone. “He didn’t like them. We don’t have to deal with that now. I tried my best to put out fires, tried to keep the room intact, but it was too much.”
OK, so Cromartie needed a change of scenery. If anyone could get through to him, it was Rex, right?
Wrong.
In fact, it was the very say hey culture Rex created that led to Cromartie labeling Tom Brady an “A-hole.”
Three Augusts ago, Cromartie was fined $2500 by Norv Turner for tweeting that the “nasty food” at training camp had contributed to the Chargers’ postseason failures.
These aren’t the Reggie-Thurman Yankees, in case you were wondering.
“You don’t see it in the dorms like I see it,” Rex Lion said. “My room is down there on the first floor where they have the pool table, ping pong, and the TV. They’re enjoying each other’s company. You see it in the chow hall, and when they’re in the meetings.”
Uh-oh. Just wait until Cro gets the idea to have a food fight.
steve.serby@nypost.com