Wednesday Media Transcript: Wide Receiver Odell Beckham Jr.

Wide Receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
September 5, 2018
 
Q: What’s the anticipation of getting out there for the first time in a while?
A: I can’t stop thinking about it. I’m at home, I’ll be in the middle of conversation, my mind doesn’t get off this game. It’s been a long time. There was a lot of hard work and preparation just to be able to get back to running and playing again. So, I’m excited. I’m real excited about this team and the opportunity we have in front of us.
 
Q: Do you worry about getting suckered into the trash talk by (Jaguars CB) Jalen Ramsey?
A: I think I learned my lesson. But, this is probably, if not, the best or one of the best corners in the league. There’s no way around it. And this defense that they have – they have six or seven pro-bowlers, maybe more, on their team. They have a very good scheme, probably the defense in the NFL. We have a very tough challenge ahead of us. I think we’re all excited about the opportunity just to be able to come back and play football again. I know that I’m very excited. It’s definitely going to be a good match.
 
Q: Are you looking forward to that matchup against Jalen Ramsey?
A: Yeah, definitely. Honestly, I’m more so looking forward to just playing football again, to be real with you. But yes, it is an exciting matchup. It’s a good test for yourself in the first game against the best defense in the league I would say.
 
Q: What makes the Jacksonville defense so good?
A: If (Ramsey) he’s not 1A, he’s 1B. The only person I know like that is (Cardinals CB) Patrick Peterson. He’s what, 6-3, 215, he runs 4.30 (40-yd dash). He’s got all the intangibles. He’s athletic and he’s just good. Like I said, he’s just one of the best in the league. He does it all.
 
Q: Do you have a relationship with him? (Ramsey)
A: Yeah, it’s funny. So, over the offseason, we kind of got together and we were hanging out and doing whatever. The schedule comes out, and I was joking with him like, ‘When we play y’all, what happens if I run this, that, and the other?’ And next thing I know, the schedule is out, and we play them the first game (laughter). It’s funny how life works, and how God works and everything works. We got them matched up Week 1 and I’m sure it won’t be as friendly as it was over the offseason. We’re both very, very competitive. I know that for sure. It’s going to be a good game.
 
Q: When did you start doing work and game planning on him?
A: I probably been watching him since he came in the league. I’m a fan of football. Personally, before we were playing them Week 1, I was very, very on to him and what he can do. Like I said, he’s just as good as they come. He can go down as that ‘Primetime’ (Deion Sanders), in my opinion, if he keeps up what he’s doing now.
 
Q: Have you gone up against him before?
A: No, I’ve never gone against him.
 
Q:  What kind of confidence do you have in this offense?
A: I have a lot of confidence in this offense, Coach (Pat) Shurmur, and what he does and what he brings to the table. I love the way that we’re preparing. I love the way that he prepares. There’s a lot of plays, there’s a lot of stuff that’s going on in there. Just making sure you know where to line up, assignments, attention to detail, all those things are important. Coach Shurmur is probably one of the best at it that I’ve seen.
 
Q: Are you curious about getting out there in real action again?
A: Yes. Obviously, I can’t wait to be back out there but I haven’t been hit. I mean, I was getting tackled in the offseason but not by these guys. Get you that first one, get that hit, it’s kind of like you shake it off and then you keep going from there. You need that first one but it’s not something that I’m so much afraid of. This is football. It’s always going to be football, regardless if you haven’t taken a hit in years or whatever it is. It doesn’t feel good to get hit. It is what it is.
 
Q: Do you think the contract will make some guys try to go after you a little more aggressively?
A: I don’t think that the contract can do anymore for that target on my back. Inflicted by the world, inflicted by myself. That target has been on there since I came in so I don’t know if a contract is going to help. That target increases and decreases. Guys have always wanted to hit me and be able to talk about it. It’s just the reality of where I’m at in life. It’s just something I’ve had to deal with.
 
Q: You said you had learned your lesson of not falling into the Ramsey trash talk. What lesson did you learn?
A: This right here. I remember going into the week before. To be honest with you, I hadn’t watched much tape on (Redskins CB) Josh (Norman) before we had played them. They came here, I remember you all bringing me information on his interview and saying that he said, ‘this is sweet and blah blah blah’, the stories, and the papers that were written – it was all set up to happen what exactly happened. I’m kind of just seeing things different now and just knowing it is going to be a matchup. It’s not going to be something that you repeat. The history repeats itself and it’s in the past, and kind of buying into that same thing.
 
Q: So you almost got suckered in, in a way?
A: Yeah, but you took the cheese (laughter). So, I can’t be mad at anything that happened. I bit on it, so it’s all good.
 
Q: Is that something a 25 year old Odell would tell the 21 year old Odell?
A: Yeah, like I said, after you see everything flash in front of you, you’re whole career, you’re thinking about everything. Will you ever get back to where you’re at? Will you ever be the same? You have a different perspective on life. I remember the first time being able to get out that boot, just walking, and just being thankful for those moments. I was crawling up steps so I don’t want to say I’m a different person, but I have different outlooks and perspectives on things. I’ve had a lot happen. You have to take that, learn, and you grow from it.
 
Q: How do you look at the playmakers around you?
A: We drafted a decent running back, but like I said, Saquon (Barkley) – and just seeing him, he’s different. He’s just a different cat. I know he’s excited, very excited to get out there. (Sterling Shepard) Shep, you got Evan Engram, even Cody (Latimer) over here, who’s been kind of tucked in the closet for the past of his career over there with Emanuel Sanders and D. Thomas (Demaryius Thomas), but he’s a guy who can make plays. We have them all around. (Offensive line) O-line has improved. They all walk out to practice together. There’s a lot of comradery going on there. There’s a brotherhood that’s in this locker room I think that stems from the head coach doing what he’s doing.
 
Q: What do you think about the opportunity to open at home?
A: I’m excited it’s at home. This is the place that the injury happened. This is our home, this is our family, the Giants crowd. I couldn’t ask for a better place to have the first game.
 
Q: Would you like to get a chance on a punt return?
A: (laughter) Absolutely, I just love having the ball in my hands and just being able to make plays. You get back there and you trust those guys to make blocks for you and you get to do what you do, whether it’s punt return, kick return, any of that. However I can help this team, I’m all the way in.