Draymond Green apologizes to Cowboys’ Dak Prescott for ‘bum’ roast, but there’s a catch
Warriors' Draymond Green apologizes for calling Cowboys QB Dak Prescott 'a bum,' but he's not completely retracting his initial comments
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Although Draymond Green has plenty of insights to share on sports, he frequently says what is on his mind in the moment. Such an approach makes for entertaining podcasts, but it also leads to apologies. The Golden State Warriors legend and four-time NBA champion issued one on Thursday when addressing his critical remarks about Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.
Green recently called the 2023-24 MVP runner-up a “bum” for his well-documented struggles in the playoffs, drawing plenty of strong reactions in the process. He expressed regret for the word he used to describe the veteran signal-caller, but he is not recanting his overall opinion about Prescott the player.
“Since I said publicly he's a bum, I do want to publicly say I apologize,” the All-NBA Second-Team and Third-Team selection told NFL insider Jordan Schultz on the “Why is Draymond Green Talking About Football?” podcast. “Just as a fellow athlete, I think I'd be pissed off if I looked up and and another athlete was saying ‘Draymond is a bum.' So, I'm man enough to say when I was wrong. I was definitely wrong on that.
“But in saying that, my feelings don't change. I still think when it gets to the moment, I don't think he can deliver. But I do apologize with the way I categorized him as a bum. He's definitely not a bum.”
While Draymond Green is still skeptical about Prescott's ability to perform when the lights are brightest, he believes the three-time Pro Bowler could flourish with his preferred NFL squad, the Pittsburgh Steelers. It is an interesting scenario, but one can only focus on his current reality.
The 32-year-old will likely become Dallas' all-time leader in passing yards and touchdown passes. He has competed in the playoffs in half of his NFL seasons and is one of the biggest reasons the Cowboys are not presently a last-place squad in 2025. However, his playoff shortcomings are extremely hard to ignore.
Dak Prescott has thrown seven interceptions in seven postseason games and frequently fails to make plays in crucial spots. Dallas as a whole melts under pressure, but the QB is definitely one of the individuals most associated with the franchise's ongoing woes on the big stage. Green and many other football fans will continue to hold that opinion until No. 4 proves otherwise.
Considering that the Cowboys are 3-5-1, Prescott may not have the opportunity to flip the narrative this season.
BREAKING: Saints Set to Bet on Devaughn Vele as Their New Star Receiver After Shaheed Trade
When the New Orleans Saints traded a pair of draft picks that included a fourth-round selection in next year’s draft for Devaughn Vele in August, the expectation was that their new wide receiver would play more than a mid-round prospect would have, anyway.
But through nine games, that hasn’t gone according to plan.
This season, Vele has played just 152 snaps — a low number considering what the Saints sent to acquire him from the Denver Broncos. In fact, of the 36 players taken in the fourth round of this year’s NFL draft, 17 have received the same or more playing time than Vele.
“We obviously have got to get him on the field,” coach Kellen Moore said.
The path to do so was made easier this week.
The Saints’ decision to trade Rashid Shaheed to the Seattle Seahawks on Tuesday created a spot that Vele could step into. The two receivers have different skill sets, and Shaheed wasn’t necessarily an obstacle blocking Vele from seeing the field, but Moore said Vele, Brandin Cooks and Mason Tipton would be among those who the Saints would count on to fill Shaheed’s absence.
“He’s going to carry a healthy role the rest of the way through this thing,” Moore said. “He’ll be very involved and I’m excited about that.”
At his locker, Vele said his mentality won’t change now that a bigger role is in store. The second-year wideout said he’s tried to take advantage of every opportunity given to him, adding later he wasn’t worried about his snap count. That mindset helped him excel in Denver — where the 27-year-old rose the ranks as a seventh-round rookie to become a go-to target in the slot.
Last season, Vele had 41 receptions for 475 yards and three touchdowns. His 6-foot-5 frame not only created mismatches in the red zone, but it was partly why the Saints were attracted enough to trade for him.
But Vele’s production has yet to translate to New Orleans. Moore said Vele’s usage was “not my best” coaching job, though he suggested his team’s lack of trips to the red zone was a “big factor” in him not seeing the field.
That doesn’t completely pass the smell test, however. The Saints have had 60 red-zone snaps this season — and Vele has only played 18 of them, far behind Chris Olave (54), Cooks (45) and Shaheed (43).
“Logistically, it's tough when you have Olave and Sheed and Juwan (Johnson) and Cooks on a rotational basis,” quarterback Tyler Shough said. “But at the same time, there is a bunch of stuff that was schemed to go to him and sometimes it just doesn't happen that way — it's football, you know."
Another reason that could explain Vele’s lack of playing time is his health. After dealing with a knee injury this summer in Denver, Vele suffered a hip injury that caused him to miss a Week 3 loss to the Seahawks. Moore said the ailment “slowed a little bit of the installation” of the offense for Vele.
There’s a scenario, of course, in which the Saints simply got fleeced. While Broncos coach Sean Payton called trading Vele one of the toughest moves of his career, perhaps that was just a ruse to make his former team feel good about the deal. It’s hard not to wonder whether the reality of Vele's limited role has to do with what the Saints’ coaching staff has observed from the wide receiver every week.
But players and coaches say they like what they've seen.
“His selflessness, his willingness to go in there and get dirty in the run game, even protection,” Cooks said. “When his number is called to make a play in the pass game, he does it. To see his growth every week — obviously not being here during camp — (to) see how fast he’s been able to pick up the offense, every week, he’s just continuing to get better.”
“He hasn’t had the big, breakout game catch-wise, but when you look at the things he’s done, when he has been in the football game, it’s been productive,” offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier said.
Vele, who has five catches for 39 yards and a touchdown, will now get an extended look to have that big, breakout game.
To this point, it hasn’t been there.
“When opportunities come, I just have to make the most of them,” Vele said.
