Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie has more children than he has friends remaining in the Chargers secondary.
“We all know there were guys in the locker room who didn’t like him,” Chargers cornerback Quentin Jammer told the San Diego Union Tribune. “He didn’t like them. We don’t have to deal with that now.”
Cromartie was traded to the Jets in March and seems to have been accepted by his new teammates. His old teammates certainly are enjoying life without him.
“Me and Cro had conflicts,” Chargers safety Eric Weddle said. “That’s just the way it is.”
The report says, “The bad vibe that spilled out from the defensive backs’ corner of the locker room affected much more than even just the defense. More than a few offensive players talked about the peaceful and productive offseason and how the team didn’t have to worry any more about the secondary’s ‘drama.’ ”
“It’s refreshing,” Weddle said. “I can’t tell you how nice it is to come to work every day and not have that in the room and just knowing everyone is on the same page, everyone is behind each other.”
Jammer’s theory is that Cromartie “lashed out’ to attempt to force a trade, according to the report.
Cromartie on this week’s episode of “Hard Knocks” seemed to struggle remembering the names and ages of his eight children, then said the HBO program restaged the interview, asking him to take his time.
Earlier this month, some Chargers said they were glad running back LaDainian Tomlinson left the team. He also landed with the Jets, who defeated the Chargers in last season’s AFC playoffs.
“I don’t know how everyone feels or if they felt it,” quarterback Philip Rivers said at the start of training camp. “Maybe it was a little bit of a relief. Maybe it’s a feeling of, ‘I can do a little more without wondering what he thinks.’”