Wednesday Media Transcript: WR Odell Beckham Jr.

WR Odell Beckham Jr.

December 30, 2015

Q: Odell, there is a chance for you to set some Giants records this week, would you like to? The Homer Jones record, obviously the Victor Cruz receiving yards record, do you think about those things?

A: Actually, there’s a lot that’s been going on and I’m really just happy to be back. I really haven’t thought about much besides Philly.

Q: When it comes to this game, rivalry game, final game of the season, how important is this game for you guys?

A: It’s definitely important. I mean, it’s a Philadelphia-Giants game, and we have a chance to be one win better than last year, so that’s progress. With this being our last game, I think we’ll give it our all.

Q: How difficult was the last week for you?

A: It was tough. It was tough just not being able to be here with my teammates. I think sometimes you’re so fortunate to be able to do this and you may take it for granted like, ‘Oh, I don’t want to go into work today’ and just having some time off, being able to sit back and you really miss this. You miss being here and I’m definitely happy to be back.

Q: What was your reaction when you found out you were suspended for a game?

A: I don’t really enforce the rules, so I just kind of abide by them. Their decision was a suspension and all we can do is just move forward from there.

Q: Your apology was lengthy, it seemed heartfelt, it also seemed like you were a little bothered by your own performance. Were you when you looked back at what happened?

A: It’s just unfortunate. You never want to do that on the field. There’s so much more that’s going on just to be caught up in such a moment. Like I said, it’s not something that I would want to put my team in that position and I wouldn’t want to give that influence to kids. Actually the other day, two kids came up to me and they were just talking about everything that happened, and I just told them no matter what, you’re always responsible for your own actions, and you can only control what you can control, and the rest is really out of your hands. For the most part, make sure to take control of what you can.

Q: Have you and Josh Norman spoken since?

A: No.

Q: There’s been a lot of speculation talk about what happened before the game, but no one has actually come out, you haven’t spoken to it. What exactly did happen?

A: What happened was I wasn’t controlling myself and ended up hurting my team, big penalties, and it was a poor display of sportsmanship and not something you would want to put on film. All you can do in life is move forward, you can’t get the moment back, you can’t get the opportunities back, you can’t go back in time, and you just learn from it.

Q: Were you threatened with a baseball bat?

A: It’s really irrelevant now. The suspension has been held and everything is good.

Q: There were also reports of gay slurs being directed at you?

A: Words are words. Words are words.

Q: Odell, you’ve spoken in the past about keeping your emotions under control but that’s kind of what you’re about as a player. Do you still battle with yourself on that or did the time away kind of refocus on that?

A: I don’t think I’m going to change the way that I play, but I think I’ll change the actions that were on the field that Sunday. It’s not what we should be doing, it’s not what I would want to represent the Giants as, and like I said, most importantly it’s not something that I would want the kids looking up to and learning from me that way. That’s definitely not what I want to put out there for them.

Q: Is it as simple as saying you’re going to change? Is it as simple as saying, ‘I won’t do that again’ or do you think you need counseling?

A: You won’t do it again and you’re good. Everything is under your control and it’s ultimately up to you.

Q: When you think back, could this could be a turning point in your career of some sort, going forward now?

A: I think it’s good. I think things like this help you grow and they help you mature and like I said, you learn from it and you move on. In life you’re taught so many lessons, good or bad, and you learn from it and grow.

Q: Do you really feel like you learned something?

A: You can’t do that type of stuff. It’s not what I would want to do for my team. I did not like not being here with them and it’s just an unfortunate situation.

Q: Do you feel like you’re going to be watched extra closely now with officials and stuff and you have to be on extra alert?

A: I don’t feel like any more than I had been. It’s a matter of just controlling what you can control.

Q: You always wear your emotions on your sleeve. Do you have to work hard at making sure you don’t change too much?

A: I don’t think I’m going to change the way that I play football. I don’t think anything is going to change except learning from this experience. I don’t think that I’m going to play with less intensity or I don’t think I’m going to play with less emotion. This is football and this is what I love. I love it and like I said, you just learn from it.

Q: Do you regret at all, Tom [Coughlin] took a lot of heat for leaving you in the game, do you regret that he took criticism for what happened?

A: I don’t like coach having to deal with anything like that. I wouldn’t want even the players to have to deal with stuff like that and have to deal with questions about me. It just was an unfortunate situation and put a lot of people in a lot of bad positions. It’s definitely something that I don’t want to do again.

Q: How much of it have you seen since? Have you watched any of it? It was all over the TV.

A: I’ve seen it.

Q: What was your reaction when you saw it from that angle?

A: Reaction to what?

Q: What you were doing on the field.

A: Like I said, I learned from my actions and I take responsibility for them.