Feeling's mutual: Rams rookie Jared Verse already feeling ire from Eagles fans on social media

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Rams outside linebacker Jared Verse expects a cold reception in frigid Philadelphia on Sunday after sharing his dislike of Eagles fans.

Verse wouldn’t back down Friday after telling the Los Angeles Times he “hates Eagles fans.” The first-round draft pick attended high school in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, which is about 100 miles northwest of Philadelphia.

Not surprisingly, Verse woke up this morning to a taste of the vitriol coming his way in the NFC divisional round game.

“I check my phone and my Twitter blowing up out of nowhere,” Verse said. “I’m like, ‘What happened?’ First thing I see, ‘I hate Eagles fans.’ I’m like, ‘Oh, yeah, I’m done.’”

Asked if he wanted to adjust his comments, Verse said: “I just want to move on. What was said was said. That was the past. We got a game to handle.”

Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, who played as a visitor in Philadelphia during six seasons with the New York Giants, believes the gregarious Verse made a mistake with his candid comments.

“Probably not the smartest thing to say when you’re coming to Philadelphia,” Barkley said. “I’m pretty sure Philly fans have seen that comment. It was already going to be loud and rocking, so it’s just only going to add to it.”

Verse made the Pro Bowl and is a strong contender for the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year award after getting 77 pressures and 4 1/2 sacks. He had seven tackles, but did not record a sack or tackle for loss in the Eagles’ 37-20 win over the Rams in Week 12.

___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL