What's wrong with Eli Apple?

That's one of the prevailing questions from a chaotic Giants season rife with drama. Apple has clashed with the coaching staff, sniped at teammates and nearly bolted from the team's facility after he was criticized in a film session.

The 10th pick in the 2016 draft was benched for four weeks for reasons that remain murky. And all the while, teammates have been whispering about his immaturity, wondering if Apple's reputation soon will put him on the street.

Apple has become the poster child for what has gone wrong this season - the link between the head coach and general manager who were fired: A disgruntled player who was one of the first to publicly complain about Ben McAdoo, who eventually lost the locker room, and an underperforming first-round pick, who highlighted Jerry Reese's draft failures.

So, how did Apple get to this point after starting 11 games at cornerback for a playoff team as a rookie? Several people close to the situation told NJ Advance Media that strife in Apple's family, particularly an abrupt falling out with his stepfather Tim Apple, has led to the Voorhees native going off track.

"One of the biggest reasons Eli is declining so much this year as opposed to last year is (Tim's absence)," Apple's half-brother Dane Blackson told NJ Advance Media. "I know everyone always talks about the fame and all of the attention and how all of that can go to your head.

"But you have to imagine that from middle school to the NFL, Tim was there. Tim made this whole thing happen. Tim didn't miss a game. Whenever Eli looked for that support, that was always there. Now, this year whenever he goes to look for support, it's not real, it's not genuine."

'I MISS MY SON'

Eli is Annie Apple's third son and the second child from an abusive relationship that she detailed in an SI.com column last fall. When Eli was 2, Annie met Tim. They married in 2001 and Tim raised Annie's three sons as well as a daughter, Jordan, they had together.

"From the time I was 2 years old my dad, Timothy Apple, has been my father," Eli said when he announced that he was changing his last name to Apple during his senior at Eastern High in Voorhees. "He's nurtured, provided, and protected our family. I am the man I am today because of his tireless love, and commitment to our family."

Now, just five years later, the relationship is nonexistent. Tim and Eli haven't spoken since June, and Tim hasn't attended Eli's games this season for the first time since he started playing football in middle school.

Tim, 46, was Eli's de factor manager during his son's rookie season, working with his agent and the advisers that handled Eli's finances, marketing and charity work. Blackson said Eli fired Tim days before Father's Day last June.

When reached by NJ Advance Media, Tim declined to comment on the specifics of the situation.

"I love my son and I miss my son," Tim said. "That's the bottom line. That's really what it's about at this point: I miss my son."

Eli declined to comment when asked about the impact his family situation has had on him this season.

"I'm good, man," Eli said. "I ain't talking about that."

Tim and Annie got divorced in May after 16 years of marriage. Blackson, 27, and Devion, 24, haven't spoken to Eli or Annie in months. Blackson said Eli and Annie share a condo in Hoboken, while the rest of the family lives together in Voorhees.

"Eli is the youngest (son), so when it comes to just being easily manipulated, I feel like he was always the perfect candidate out of all of us," Blackson said. "Out of the three - me, Devion and Eli - Eli was more the mama's boy."

'THE ANNIE SHOW'

Annie, 43, has always been a supportive and outspoken parent, according to multiple people from Eli's background interviewed by NJ Advance Media who requested anonymity because they didn't want to become embroiled in the Apple family's issues.

Annie was known as one of the most vocal fans while Eli starred at Eastern High and she was never shy about voicing her opinion. While Eli was at Ohio State, Annie was part of a campaign that resulted in the College Football Playoff providing stipends to alleviate the travel expenses for the parents of players.

Annie, who was a writer and producer for "NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw" in the late 1990s and early 2000s, became a social media sensation during the 2016 NFL Draft. Her humorous and opinionated Twitter persona led to roles with ESPN and Sports Illustrated during Eli's rookie season.

"Ever since Eli got drafted, I feel like everyone got the wrong impression of Eli," Blackson said. "From the jump, Eli never really stood a chance. It was the Annie show. I feel like that's his biggest downfall."

Annie's weekly column on SI.com created a firestorm last October when she criticized Giants co-owner John Mara for his "insensitive, dismissive and callous" comments about the domestic abuse allegations levied against former kicker Josh Brown. Eli publicly straddled the awkward line of not siding against his mother or his employer, but Blackson said his brother was furious that Annie jeopardized his career.

"I remember the whole John Mara thing, that was bad. He almost cut mom completely off," Blackson said. "That was scary for him for a little bit. I remember him calling all of us. It was just bad."

The relationship survived, and Blackson said Annie tried to take stronger control of Eli's life, isolating him from the rest of the family in the process.

Eli signed a four-year, $15.1 million contract when he was drafted by the Giants. A family enrichment system was arranged through his financial team at Merrill Lynch, with $6,500 a month spread around the family to help pay for things like his grandparents' mortgage and his sister's private school tuition.

That system has been scrapped.

"You give him all this money and I couldn't tell you what he's doing with it besides letting mom spend it," Blackson said.

Blackson said there was a drastic change in the family dynamics after Eli was hospitalized for a week in mid-June with an undisclosed illness that caused him to miss minicamp. Annie was by Eli's side throughout the hospital stay.

"All of a sudden, we were complete enemies," Blackson said. "I don't know what she could have told him, but his energy was completely different from there. That was definitely a pivotal point."

The Apple family (Courtesy photo)

Eli cut ties with Tim the next week and communication broke down within the family.

"Just growing up, if you had told me things would end up this way, I wouldn't believe you. 'Eli will go all the way to the Giants and not be family-oriented?' " Blackson said incredulously. "He's burning bridges left and right and he's losing the people that really care about him and love him no matter what. I don't know what him and Annie are up to. It's crazy."

Annie didn't respond to multiple messages from NJ Advance Media.

TROUBLE WITH TEAMMATES

Apple's second season has been a series of disasters on and off the field.

Apple was torched for 21 catches, 234 yards and four touchdowns with two pass interference penalties in the first four games. Then he was benched for the first three series of the Giants' loss to the Chargers in Week 5 for reportedly talking back to a coach during practice.

Apple was upset with the benching, saying after the game "it's not just one guy, it's the whole culture."

Apple's situation appeared to settle down, while veteran cornerbacks Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Janoris Jenkins served one-game suspensions over the next four weeks.

But Apple displayed an appalling lack of effort in a loss to the 49ers on Nov. 12, and that made the cornerback the target of intense scrutiny in a film session the next week. Apple reportedly threatened to leave the Giants' facility in the wake of harsh criticism from teammates.

Apple missed two days of practice after the contentious film session while Annie underwent brain surgery, and he was a healthy scratch for that Sunday's win over the Chiefs. He was then inactive for the Giants' Thanksgiving night loss to the Redskins four days later, with McAdoo saying Apple didn't play in both games due to a lack of practice reps.

Apple was a late addition to the injury report the next week with a hip injury, and he was held out of a third straight game. Apple said he was healthy, but he was inactive again when the Giants hosted the Cowboys in Week 14.

Apple got in hot water for tweeting during the game and retweeting an Ohio State fan account that celebrated a late touchdown by Cowboys running back Rod Smith that "iced the New York Giants." That seemed to be the last straw for teammates who had grown tired of counseling the 22-year-old Apple.

Safety Landon Collins spoke last week about offering support throughout the season while Apple dealt with "a lot of personal issues." The next day, Apple said he hadn't spoken to Collins about his issues.

Incensed about being portrayed as a liar, Collins had to be restrained by teammates from confronting Apple later that day, according to two people familiar with the situation.

When told of the incident, a teammate said Collins wouldn't be the first player that "wanted to kick (Apple's) ass."

The struggles on the field and the problems with teammates have put Apple at a crossroads just two years into his career. A new general manager and coach will certainly attempt to clean up a locker room that has grown toxic during the Giants' unexpected 2-12 flop.

And as Apple attempts to navigate the most critical juncture of his career, he remains without a pillar of the support system that helped him reach the NFL.

"Tim sacrificed everything to get him there," Blackson said. "His performance is like a weird karma. He looks to the stands and that genuine support isn't there anymore."

Dan Duggan may be reached at dduggan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DDuggan21. Find our Giants coverage on Facebook.