Jalen Ramsey might have expected some sort of response when he criticized Rob Gronkowski, but he almost certainly hadn't accounted for the Patriots star's girlfriend to fire back at him.
However, Camille Kostek came to her boyfriend's defense over the weekend, explaining to TMZ exactly what she thought of the Jaguars' cornerback.
"Rob's sexier than you, and he's a better football player," the Sports Illustrated swimsuit model said, lest Ramsey was left in any doubt of what she thought of him.
Last week, in a wide-ranging interview with ESPN The Magazine, the 23-year-old Ramsey claimed that Gronkowski was overrated.
"I don't think Gronk's good," he explained. "Let me say—I don't think Gronk is as great as people think he is. Any time Gronk has been matched up with a corner, he's had a very bad game—and that corner has had a very good game."
Considering Gronkowski is a two-time Super Bowl champion and a five-time Pro Bowl selection, Ramsey's words were never going to be ignored.
Ramsey and Gronkowski went head-to-head in the AFC Championship game last season, when the latter was forced off the field before half-time because of concussion.
Despite Gronkowski's absence the Patriots emerged 24-20 winners over the Jaguars to book a place in Super Bowl LII, but in his interview with ESPN Ramsey insisted the Patriots' tight end had done "nothing" in the game.
The former Florida State student isn't new to this kind of outburst. In a long interview with GQ in August, the Jaguars star delivered a scathing assessment of most of the league's quarterbacks, beginning with Buffalo Bills' rookie Josh Allen.
"I think Allen is trash," Ramsey said of the number seven overall pick of this year's draft. "I don't care what nobody say. He's trash. And it's gonna show too. That's a stupid draft pick to me. We play them this year, and I'm excited as hell. I hope he's their starting quarterback."
Allen wasn't the only target of Ramsey's sharp tongue, which blasted some of the league's most established quarterbacks.
"I think Matt Ryan's overrated," Ramsey said of the Falcons' quarterback and 2016 MVP. "You can't tell me you win MVP two years ago, and then last year, you a complete bust, and you still got Julio Jones? There's no way that should ever happen. I don't care."
As for two-time Super Bowl champion and two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning, Ramsey suggested he got to be one of the most consistent quarterbacks in the league thanks to receivers of the caliber of Odell Beckham Jr.
"Eli […] It's not really Eli," Ramsey said. "I think it's Odell. I won't say Eli's good, I'll say Odell's good. And their connection is good."
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Dan Cancian is currently a reporter for Newsweek based in London, England. Prior to joining Newsweek in January 2018, he ... Read more
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