Raiders receiver Michael Crabtree saw his suspension stemming from last Sunday’s fight with Aqib Talib reduced to one game on Tuesday, but he’ll still be forced to miss the team’s Week 13 matchup against the Giants.
The (5-6) Raiders will miss having their second-leading receiver on the field Sunday, and with the team now trailing the Chiefs by just one game for the division lead, every game is of vital importance from here on out. Luckily for the Raiders, the Giants announced they’ll start Geno Smith over Eli Manning in the game — a move that was met with criticism on social media — and that should help tip the scales in Oakland’s favor.
Back to Crabtree, now that his appeal is over and done with, the Raiders receiver decided to tell his side of the story. Crabtree spoke to Vic Tafur of The Athletic on Tuesday, and explained why he reacted the way he did.
“I’m not trying to get revenge,” he said. “I’m trying to get a catch in my 122nd straight game and help my team win a big game. I don’t want to get kicked out. I know what’s at stake for my team.”
The Raiders receiver then commented on how he felt about the one-game suspension handed down by the league.
“The league said it was premeditated on my part,” Crabtree said. “You know what premeditated is? When you say you’re going to do something, do it, and then laugh about it with the media after the game. Like he did last year. That’s all on him.”
The main takeaway from Crabtree’s comments is that he didn’t appear to be apologetic over the way he reacted. He also didn’t seem to hold himself accountable for his role in the fight, which seems odd, given that he was seen punching Chris Harris before later trading blows with Talib.
Crabtree could’ve just apologized and moved on from the incident, but he still appears to be upset with both Talib and the league — rather than with himself.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
