Transcript: Wide Receiver Odell Beckham

WR Odell Beckham Jr.

August 13, 2015



Q: When you guys got into town you guys went over and saw James Wright?

A: Yup.



Q: What was that like to hook up with James?

A: It was great being able to go see him. I know he’s in a tough spot right now with an injury. A guy who I’ve known, and who’s just worked so hard for everything he has—really cherishes every moment that he gets to be in the position that he’s in, it’s just unfortunate that that’s the way the game goes and that it happened to him. He’s going to be out for a little while. So just make sure that I could be there for him, and help him keep his mind right because we consider ourselves brothers. I’m going to look out for him no matter what.



Q: So much has been made of your relationship with Jeremy Hill and how close you are. How close are you?

A: I saw him the night I got in, I saw him last night. Anytime there’s a chance for me, Jarvis [Landry], Jeremy [Hill], James [Wright]—any of those guys who were close, to link up, nothing is really going to get in the way of it. It’s kind of like a top priority. I’ll probably see him tonight again, go by his house. See his dog—his dog’s been growing a little bit. I know he wants me to come see him. It’s great to just be able to see your brothers every now and then.



Q: How much are you looking forward to playing a game with them?

A: It’s great. I wish it was a real game just because it’s crazy that we’re coming from the same team, and now we’re all on opposite teams. It’s like a dream come true. We wish we were all on the same team somehow, but it’s not going to happen. So being able to be on the same field, it’s truly a blessing.



Q: Do you play Madden?

A: Yeah, I play Madden a little bit.



Q: Do you ever go crazy and trade for all those guys so you can all be on the same team?

A: Whenever we’re all together we’ll do that. We’ll all join up on the same team—three controllers, and we’ll just play around. No though, I don’t do the trades. That was kind of back in my days when I was really on the Madden heavy, trading around for guys, stuff like that.



Q: Both of you had such impressive rookie years, how enjoyable was that to see Jeremy have success?

A: It was great, and Jarvis, as well. We’re in the middle of games and I’m looking up at the jumbotron and those guys are on the screen and they're scoring or they're doing something—you’re watching them make plays. I remember catching myself in the middle of plays last year, looking up at the jumbotron and Eli is calling out the play. I’m watching highlights and seeing those guys on there. It was just extra motivation, extra incentive to do better.



Q: You have a favorite play of Jeremy’s, maybe back in college?

A: Hmm. There’s so many plays this guy has made, it’s hard to pick one. I’ll just go with one last year. I think the funniest thing I saw him do, besides the great celebrations that he had, just seeing him stiff arm a guy against Cleveland and accelerate away. It’s kind of a little inside joke with him being like accelerating away. Coach Frank [Wilson] used to always yell at him, and then jumping into the stands and they mushed him back down. It was a joke in our group chat for a long time.



Q: I know you said what the offseason was like as far as celebrity goes. You come here this week and you’re the road team, it seemed those two practices there were a lot of fans looking for you, talking to you, shouting to you. What was that like, does it get old?

A: It never gets old. When it’s kids, it never gets old, because I remember being a kid at one point and looking up to somebody—being like “There he goes” or things of that matter. In that case, it never really gets old to me. There were a lot of people out there, and some of them were wearing Bengals jerseys, talking about, “We’re Giants fans." It’s like, “You have a Bengals jersey on," obviously not a Giants fan. Then there’s those other people around here and they know that it’s open and you’re able to get signatures. They're sitting there with like 500 pictures, and it’s like this is not for your little kid or anything like that. It’s a tough position to be in every now and then, just picking and choosing what you sign for.



Q: It’s a little different now I imagine. It’s one thing at restaurants, but when you get back in the football element, your celebrity is different now, maybe than what it was last year. Fans are now noticing you. You’re a main attraction.

A: I guess, I don’t know. Just go out and really just try and enjoy myself, this is what I love to do. I’m fortunate to be able to call this my job. I just go out there and try and have fun. Whatever comes with it, that’s what comes with it.



Q: Do you feel you’re better in certain aspects, just going through your second camp?

A: This is my first camp.



Q: Well, second year.

A: In certain ways I do feel that I’m better. I feel like I’ve learned more, I’ve seen things. Still, all in all, I’m a young player, I still have things that I definitely have to work on and always want to continue to improve. I try and find those things and I try to find my weaknesses, and try and really work on them. It’s tough when some of your biggest weaknesses are some of your biggest strengths. Just finding ways to control them and use them for your benefit.



Q: I was looking for your weaknesses, I wasn’t sure what they were?

A: Rain. No, I’m kidding. Just my passion for the game gets in the way sometimes. That anger, and all those things come into play, and it doesn’t always work in my favor in my own way. But then again, it helps me out a lot in other ways. It comes out and it brings out the best in me. Finding a way to channel that anger, and that passion, it’s really what I’m working on.



Q: How do you do that?

A: It’s a lot of work. Just talking to yourself, whatever it is you need to do at the moment. There’s always that boiling point that you get to, and it’s like what do you do when you get there? Do you react a certain way, or do you do this? Finding your true self, not finding what’s right to do, but finding your true self in whatever way works best for you, is really what I’m working on.



Q: During practice this week, did you get to that point when you were going up against the Bengals?

A: Yeah. It gets to that point, when you’re in camp. I don’t know how many days in, I don’t even know what day it is today. You just get into this groove, and you get frustrated as a player, as a human being. We all have frustrations and things like that. Finding ways to not let it get to you, or like I said, use it for the better is really what I’m working on. Yeah, it gets there every now and then, but I’ve done a good job at controlling it and not letting it control me.



Q: You mentioned Jeremy’s touchdown celebrations, can you talk about using things like that to avoid the pressure. Is that something that you see in common with your game and his?

A: The celebrations and stuff?



Q: Yes, having fun.

A: Yeah, this is what you worked all your life to get here to do. Now, you’re finally able to do it. You never know when it’s going to be over, so I’m going to enjoy every single moment of it. I’m going to celebrate whenever I can, and I’m going to literally enjoy everything that comes with it. Like I said, it could all be over whenever.



Q: You looking forward to playing in your first preseason game?

A: Absolutely. Anytime you get a chance to be on that field—I think the biggest thing I’m looking forward to is hearing that National Anthem and getting on the field again. There’s just something about it, it broke me down the first time I got on the field. I don’t know what it’s going to do this time, but I am looking forward to being able to line up and see 32 [Hill] across the other way, and hopefully get to see him do a little something, and just keep it moving from there.



Q: You have not done this before, you played in a Pro Bowl, but not a preseason game.

A: I’ve never played in a preseason game. I actually had to ask, “What do we have to wear to the games?” and stuff like that, because I honestly didn’t know. I was at home every weekend. Every time they were traveling, I was at home. I got to go to the preseason (home) games last year, but never had been a part of the whole thing. This is all kind of new to me as well.



Q: So you realize that you’re going to be out very quickly?

A: That’s the tough part. It’s tough being competitive and feeling like you didn’t get anything done, and you’re only in there for however long you’re going to be in there for. Just watch these others guy who are going to be playing, and cheer on my teammates.



Q: What did you think of going against [Dre] Kirkpatrick and Pac (Adam Jones)? What was it like, and what did you see from them?

A: It was fun to be able to go up against somebody who’s not on my team, and just be able to get a different look. Those guys are very good over there. I thought highly of [Darqueze] Dennard, as well. He seemed like he had a lot of potential, and he’s going to be a very good cornerback coming up pretty soon. I think Pacman [Adam Jones], he’s been in the league for what, 10 years or something like that? A savvy vet who just knows the ins and outs of the game, I was very impressed with him.



Q: What about Dennard’s game stuck out to you?

A: He was very solid. It’s not like he was like 4.3 [forty-yard dash], 27 reps on bench. He wasn’t like the most freakish athlete, but everything he was doing to me stood out to me because it was just always the right place at the right time. Just very solid, and tough to beat cornerback.



Q: You talked about your text group and about your celebrations. Do you guys converse about celebration ideas? What to do, or do they run it by you first?

A: We don’t ever run it by each other. We’ll clown about it, and it’s not like, “Oh, I’m going to score this week, so this is what I’m going to do." You put yourself in that mindframe of, this is what I want to do when I celebrate. It’s the same as, “This is what I want to do when I catch the ball." You put yourself in the mindframe, and once you get into that position, then you know what position you’re going to be in, or what exactly you have to do. We do talk about it a little bit, it is all fun and games in the group chat. Sometimes some of that stuff comes onto the field.