Turns out, football beef doesn’t stop after retirement. This offseason, things got real spicy between three big names from the league’s past—Cris Carter, Chad Johnson, and Asante Samuel. It all kicked off when Johnson, ever the showman, said on a podcast that—even at 47—he could beat Jaguars‘ rising two-way star Travis Hunter in ten straight one-on-one reps. Carter didn’t hold back in laughing off the claim. Instead, he used the opportunity to knock Johnson’s career down a peg, essentially calling him overrated. That comment didn’t just rub Johnson the wrong way—it lit a fire under someone else entirely.

Consequently, Samuel jumped into the fray, and he didn’t tiptoe around Carter’s comments. Speaking on his own podcast this Sunday, the former Patriots All-Pro made it clear that Carter had crossed a line. “I think Cris Carter was great during his time. He was a [heck] of a route runner and he had some of the best hands in football… but he is really beside himself coming for Chad Johnson,” Samuel fired back.

Then again, he didn’t stop there. Samuel doubled down, straight-up slamming Carter’s entire legacy. “He was nothing more than a possession receiver… a receiver that catches the ball and is immediately tackled… Cris Carter is one of the most overrated [wide receivers] to ever come in the NFL, or into the Hall of Fame.” He even broke it down from a defensive back’s perspective: “As a cornerback, what do I have to worry about, covering a guy like Cris Carter? He’s going to run a nice, crispy route and get tackled immediately.”

Chad Johnson soon retweeted the clip, adding a grin emoji that fueled the flames. At that moment, Carter’s status as a Hall of Fame legend collided with Johnson’s showman flair—and Samuel’s defensive grit became the wedge driving the drama. Naturally, his point wasn’t without some nuance. Samuel did admit Carter’s hands and routes were elite. But, as he clarified, he was not worried about him running past. So what fear does he put in any cornerback or defense?

Still, fans across Patriots Nation and beyond weren’t buying it.

Asante Samuel’s hot take on sparks fan outrage

To no one’s surprise, Asante Samuel’s comments on Cris Carter didn’t sit well with fans. As soon as his podcast clip went live, the backlash came quick and loud. One fan wrote, “Whenever I see Asante Samuel name on social media. It’s NEVER for a good reason lmaooo.” Another fan didn’t even try to sugarcoat it: “Wow, that’s a wild take from Asante. Carter’s numbers don’t lie—dude was a beast.” And honestly, that statement holds weight, especially when you look at the numbers Carter stacked up during his playing days.

After all, when Carter hung up his cleats in 2002, he was basically second only to Jerry Rice in every meaningful category. He ranked second in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdown catches. Even now, two decades later, Carter still sits at No. 4 in all-time touchdown catches and No. 6 in career receptions. Sure, he’s dropped to No. 13 in receiving yards, but the man left a legacy that still shows up in the record books.

Meanwhile, fans quickly turned the heat back on Samuel. One comment read, “Someone tell Asante Samuel he cost the Patriots a perfect season and he’s been b—-ing about everyone else since,” while another chimed in with, “A guy that literally lost a Super Bowl should just keep his mouth shut.” And for New England fans, that sting still hurts.

Remember Super Bowl XLII? The Patriots were on the brink of 19-0 glory when Samuel had the game in his hands—literally. Eli Manning tossed one that should’ve been picked off. But Samuel dropped it. The very next play? The “helmet catch” by David Tyree, and the Giants walked off with the win.

Even so, fans didn’t ease up. One laughed it off, writing, “He was 12x better than Chad Johnson 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂.” Stat sheets seem to agree. Carter logged 1,101 catches to Johnson’s 773, 13,899 yards to 11,059, and 130 touchdowns to 68. Plus, one’s in Canton, and the other isn’t. So who do you think deserves the crown? Drop your thoughts below.