Ben McAdoo implored his star receiver to control his emotions after a sideline outburst. Odell Beckham Jr. promises to be himself. Big blue has reached an impasse.
Three days after New York Giants head coach Ben McAdoo publicly called for Odell Beckham Jr. to tone down his act, OBJ has responded in kind.Per Jordan Ranaan of ESPN, Beckham Jr. won’t be toning down anything. In fact, he doubled down in an Instagram post earlier in the week, (above) and took things a step further Thursday.
“At the end of the day, you play for the guys that wear the jersey. They’re the ones who take the field with you, who you share the blood, sweat and tears with. I’m just going to go out and be who I am.”
– Odell Beckham Jr.
The Giants organization was worried how Beckham Jr. might respond to McAdoo’s public admonishment. Their concerns now appear somewhat justified.
OBJ has yet to respond on the field, where it matters most, but the implication behind his “play for the guys who wear the jersey” is a not-so-subtle jab at his coach. McAdoo was ill-advised to publicly out his best player, but Beckham Jr’s response points to a rift widening by the day.
The Giants are only three games into the regular season and face a tough Minnesota Vikings team on Monday Night Football. They could’ve done without the distraction.
Growing Pains:
All the talk in New York would be 3-0 had the Giants held on to beat the Redskins last Sunday. Losing magnifies discontent, though, especially in New York. McAdoo’s public back-and-forth with Beckham has become the narrative instead, and things are just getting started.
McAdoo’s leadership is being put to the test at a bad time. Friction between new coach and star player is never a good start to any tenure. McAdoo and the Giants have to quell this situation now because a loss to the Vikings will only add fuel to the fire.
