Odell Beckham Jr. Explains Why He Felt “Disrespected” By NY Giants
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. recently sat down for an interview with GQ’s Mark Anthony Green, in which he discussed a number of topics regarding his polarizing NFL career, including the trade that sent him from New York to Cleveland.
In regards to the trade, Beckham explained that he felt “disrespected” by the organization, telling GQ, “they weren’t even man enough to even sit me down to my face and tell me what’s going on.”
“My initial reaction was not disappointment … I felt disrespected,” Beckham said of the trade. “Like, after everything I’ve done for them. This is me being honest: This team has not been good for the last six years. Period. Even the year we went to the playoffs and everyone was talking about this and that. And we went there, and I didn’t have a great playoff game. Don’t get me wrong, I had a terrible game. But I left the game with seven targets, and I’m supposed to be your number one receiver. I left the game with seven targets. We lost. They scored 40 points. It’s just all bad. I felt disrespected, because I felt like I was a main reason at keeping that brand alive. They were getting prime-time games, still, as a 5-and-11 team. Why? Because people want to see the show. You want to see me play. That’s just real rap. I’m not sitting here like, “It’s because of me.” But let’s just be real. That’s why we’re still getting prime-time games. I felt disrespected they weren’t even man enough to even sit me down to my face and tell me what’s going on.”
Despite feeling disrespected by the Giants for the way the trade went down, Beckham Jr. tells GQ that he is happier than he’s ever been.
“At this moment? I’m happier than I’ve ever been. I’ve never been at this place. And it’s because of the trials and tribulations, it’s because of the mistakes, it’s because of the failures, the successes. Everything that has got me to this point.”
Cleveland will kickoff the 2019 season on September 8, at home against the Tennessee Titans. Then, it’s on to MetLife Stadium, as OBJ makes his return to the place he called home for his first five seasons, as the Browns take on the New York Jets on Monday night.
