Not-so-Sweet Talk, as WR Antonio Brown Calls CB Brandon Boykin the "Candy Bar" of Philadelphia's Secondary

By: Kim O'Hara | Posted: October 05, 2012

Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown needs to work on his trash talk, if his description of Eagles rookie cornerback Brandon Boykin is any indication. Boykin himself needed to be told that being the defense’s “candy bar” isn’t a good thing, delicious as it may sound. 

In a move totally uncharacteristic of sports media, much is being made of Brown’s off-the-cuff remark, which came when breaking down the Eagles’ secondary prior to Sunday’s meeting between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. When asked about the potential matchup with Boykin, he smiled and said “that’s the candy bar”. It’s far from high praise, but the 5’9 fourth round pick’s counterparts in the secondary are 6’2 Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and 6’2 Nnamdi Asomugha. Thanks to both their size and overall physicality, Asomugha and Rodgers-Cromartie are among the upper echelon of defensive backs. 

Asomugha hasn’t quite reached the level of play that made him the most coveted free agent of 2011, partly because offensive line coach-turned defensive coordinator Juan Castillo seemed unsure how best to cater to his skill set last season, but as long as he’s on the field, Asomugha is considered a legitimate threat to the passing game. Rodgers-Cromartie, also in his second year with Philadelphia, already has three interceptions on the season (in comparison, the Steelers entire secondary has posted one). 

For his part, Boykin declined to escalate the conflict, plainly stating, “The game's on Sunday. There's no point in rah-rahing in the media on Thursday. I'll let my game do the talking,” followed by an astute observation: “It's up to me to do what I got to do to make sure they don't treat me like a candy bar, or whatever they said.” It’s refreshing to hear a rookie exhibit such a practical approach to the time-honored tradition of NFL trash talk, even if it means sportswriters may be forced to uncover drama elsewhere. 

Kim O'Hara is the Associate Editor of TheFootballGirl.com. She is an avid fan of sports in general, but the NFL in particular. She has also been a contributor to ESPN the Magazine. Follow her on Twitter: @arahomik       

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