I don’t think Antonio Cromartie is a bad guy.
On the contrary I have heard nothing but good things about him.
He is happily married now and seems to have settled down a bit. His infamous naming of his kids on Hard Knocks didn’t present him in the best light, but at least he is taking responsibility for his actions as a younger man.
I know plenty of athletes with multiple kids who honestly don’t care. Who kids see them more on TV than they do in person. So while I think Cromartie was extremely irresponsible early on in his life in regards to planting his seed all over the world, he has manned up to try to get a handle on his situation.
With that being said this New York Post expose’ on the women of Cromartie’s children is an amazing read and it can’t be ignored how Cromartie treated these women.
For example check out this snippet from the story:
He flew Patterson, friends and family to Hawaii in February 2008 for the Pro Bowl. “At dinner one night, he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him,” she said. “I was crying and said yes.”
A week later, she learned she was pregnant. His reaction: “I’m finally having a baby with someone I love.”
They booked an Atlanta winery to host the June 2008 nuptials and invited 200 guests.
A week before the wedding, Cromartie called it off, saying he “wasn’t ready and couldn’t do it.”
He then invited Patterson to move into his San Diego apartment, but sent her packing in two weeks. “He just said he needed some time alone,” she recalled.
Just two months after Patterson gave birth to London, Burley gave birth to Leilani. “He cheated on both of us at the same time,” Patterson said. Without calling off their engagement, Cromartie tied the knot with Cason, a star on the E! reality show “Candy Girls,” about a female talent agency.
Cromartie’s kids:
1 Alonzo Pierre Cromartie, 5
Mom: Rosemita Pierre
Home: Tallahassee, Fla; now living with dad in New Jersey2 Karis Marie Ford, 3
Mom: Veronica Marie Ford
Home: San Diego3 Antonio “A.J” Cromartie Jr., 3
Mom: Erin Victoria Wilson
Home: Smyrna, Ga.4 Deyjah Cromartie, 3
Mom: Latoya M. Burley
Home: Houston5 Tyler Jae Cromartie, 2
Mom: Ryan Ross
Home: Los Angeles6 London Jaye Cromartie, 2
Mom: Rhonda Lynn Patterson
Home: Charlotte, N.C. next week7 Leilani Cromartie, 23 months
Mom: Latoya M. Burley (same as child No. 4, Deyjah)
Home: Houston8 Julian Cromartie, 19 months
Mom: Tina Julian
Home: San Diego9 Jerzie Cromartie, six months
Mom: Antonio’s now wife, Terricka Cason Cromartie
Home: New Jersey
I think Cromartie should speak at the Rookie symposium every year to help young players understand how now to get caught up in that lifestyle and how to practice safe sex.
The one thing that isn’t talked about enough is that Cromartie was having unprotected sex all over the country. He is lucky the only thing that he has to worry about is “child support” because it could have been a lot worse.
Not our jobs to tell people how to live their life, but my hope is that everyone has a long life and a part of that is having protected sex especially when you just met someone from Facebook as happened with one of the baby mommas.
Hopefully Cromartie and others who have read Cromartie’s story has taken that to heart.
You just hope that long term that the kids aren’t effected by their parents irresponsible actions. That is the most important thing.
Smarten Up Nas