ARIZONA CARDINALS

Steve Smith bashes Cardinals QB Josh Rosen over social media scrub

Apr 26, 2019, 3:05 PM

(Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)...

(Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

(Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

It’s no longer a secret.

The Arizona Cardinals drafted former Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, and seem poised to move on from incumbent QB Josh Rosen as trade rumors swirl.

But while the move seems likely, Rosen is still under contract in the desert.

He has, however, distanced himself — in a way — by unfollowing the team’s Instagram and Twitter accounts.

While some may see that as no big deal, there are others in the business that didn’t take the social media purge lightly.

Most notably, Steve Smith Jr., the former NFL WR and now analyst.

“If you’re concerned about it, quit playing with your [expletive] fingers and going on Twitter and get your [expletive] in the weight room and get ready to play some football,” Smith said when asked about Rosen. “Now, you’re mad because they brought some competition in here so you’re going to try and take your ball? Well first of all son, it ain’t your [expletive] ball to take anyway.

“So you keep playing with your phone and you keep showing us what the stigma of you and who you are at UCLA. Now, you’ve brought it to the professional level and showed us when things don’t go your way, you’re going to cry in the corner.”

While Smith is certainly fired up on the subject, there are a few things to note.

Yes, Rosen unfollowed the accounts, but he has been present with the team.

During the Cardinals’ voluntary mini camp last Tuesday, Rosen was front and center, working with the other two quarterbacks on the roster at the time. Even with all the talk of taking Murray No. 1. For reference, Patrick Peterson, who is reportedly dissatisfied with the team, was not in attendance.

And while the unfollowing could be looked at as childish and immature, Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury praised Rosen for his professionalism on Tuesday.

“I’m just going to keep going back to how he’s handled it as far as professionalism as far as he’s led, showed up early, done everything to the nth-degree of what we’ve asked of him,” Kingsbury said. “That’s the sign of a true pro.

“He went top-10 for a reason. I think people forgot that.”

[stats][/stats]

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