‘On Yo’ A**!’ Eagles Ex Rips Fans: Bad ‘For Mental Health!’ - Steven Nelson

Cornerback Steven Nelson wasn't with the Philadelphia Eagles for long, but his short time with the fanbase left a lasting impression in the worst possible way.

Philadelphia certainly isn't for everyone, especially at the cornerback position. 

Players like Byron Maxwell, Bradley Fletcher, and Nnamdi Asomugha were essentially run out of town in just a few short seasons where they did not live up to expectations. Other players like Steven Nelson were only brought in as stop-gaps but still struggled to enjoy the uniqueness the city's fanbase has to offer when it comes to the Eagles. 

USA Today

On the Cornersuite Podcast with current Eagles corner Darius Slay, Nelson (a starter on the team in 2021) made it clear just how uncomfortable he was with Philadelphia fans. 

"I knew quick I had to get up outta there," Nelson said while speaking to Slay. "It wasn’t good for my mental health. They gonna be on yo a** on the bench after EVERY play."

Nelson was on an Eagles team that won nine games in 2021 after an abysmal 4-11-1 2020 season. The former Steeler picked off a single pass in 16 starts while recording 50 tackles. He was also part of a unit that was ranked third in passing touchdowns allowed and a top-10 unit overall. 

Despite the improved success from the year before, Nelson found it incredibly hard to work with Eagle fans to the point that he was arguing back with fans after making a stop on third down.

"I get a third Down stop and I’m talking s***t back to the fans and not the opposing team, I go back and be like ‘F*** y’all (bleeps) talkin bout.’”

Eagles fans

Nelson is currently with a Houston Texans team that won a playoff game last season behind rookie head coach DeMeco Ryans and Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud. 

He may not have to deal with Eagle fans anymore, but Slay still does. The Pro Bowl corner who has helped Philly reach the Super Bowl in 2022 even drew the ire of some fans following Nelson's comments, but cleared the air quickly on Twitter. 

"Idk where the negativity coming from I love an appreciate all fans of the sport especially from the 2 cities I played in," Slay said in a follow-up tweet. "I will never have nothing negative to say about Detroit or Philly. The only thing negative I could say is both cities get too damn cold for me."

Eagles Holding Door Open for Return of Kelce, Cox

The notion of Eagle fans (and Philly sports fans in general) not being for everyone is a legitimate gripe with many current NFL players - especially those just coming into the league as young prospects. 

Even some veterans struggle to deal with the kind of pressure - as Nelson has alluded to. Still, following an offseason in which the organization collapsed down the stretch to drop six of their final seven games, the recent comments made by Nelson (and uncomfortably talked about by Slay) are just a further example of that.