How does Odell Beckham Jr. relate to fame?
Odell Beckham of the New York Giants runs off the field after the first half against the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2014 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Credit: Jim McIsaac
The day after The Catch, the Giants received about 75 requests from various media outlets for Odell Beckham Jr. to appear. The shows ranged from early morning to late at night.
"Basically, the kid could've done everything from 'Good Morning America' to 'The Tonight Show,' '' Giants senior vice president of communications Pat Hanlon said.
All interview requests were declined.
Within three days, there were more than three million mentions of The Catch on Twitter. Beckham's own Twitter account has since swelled to more than 170,000 followers. And a LeBron James tweet about The Catch eventually turned into dinner in New York and a budding friendship with the basketball superstar.
In an age in which social media can launch a single moment into an avalanche of attention, Beckham's spectacular one-handed catch in a Sunday night game against the Cowboys on Nov. 23 catapulted the rookie receiver into a spotlight rarely experienced by professional athletes. Especially rookies. Once just a promising first-round receiver, he now had produced what might be the greatest catch of all time and instantly turned into an international sensation.
But you hardly would have known that Beckham was the focal point of so much attention as he walked through the Giants' locker room on Wednesday afternoon -- playfully blocking Eli Manning as the quarterback walked by, showing teammates a picture on his cellphone, then bursting into laughter and generally appearing remarkably carefree after a brisk afternoon practice.
What could have been a dizzying and potentially life-altering ride to the top of the NFL world doesn't seem to have changed Beckham at all.
In fact, he carries himself with the kind of composure he showed in making that unforgettable catch on Manning's 43-yard touchdown pass.
"[The attention] is not really overwhelming," Beckham told me. "It's just not my main focus. I try not to let it get in the way of anything else. At the end of the day, you came here to play football, but everything else is just what comes with it. I try and manage it the best I can."
That requires saying not much more now than before The Catch. And not just Beckham. The Giants' public relations staff, mindful of keeping Beckham's focus on football, has been the lead blocker on most media requests.
"Odell has done an excellent job in keeping football his priority despite the increased media attention he has received for his on-field production," Giants public relations director Corry Rush said. "We have made sure Odell meets all mandatory media obligations, including speaking during the open locker room period. We have managed his interviews outside of the mandatory media requirements so those demands aren't a distraction to what he is trying to achieve, which is to be the best player he can be."
Beckham said he took some valuable advice from James when the two met for dinner in New York last week.
"He said, 'Just handle your business on the field and everything will take care of itself,' " Beckham said.
He has done just that. After his 10-catch, 146-yard, two- touchdown game against the Cowboys, Beckham totaled 18 catches, 220 yards and a touchdown in the next two games. If he keeps this up, he likely will become the Giants' first-ever NFL offensive rookie of the year.
His athletic gifts make that honor possible, but his demeanor is a difference-maker, too. And his veteran teammates, particularly Manning, want to make certain his approach is driven by football, not fame.
"I've talked to him about it and said, 'Hey, if you need someone to talk to or advice on how to handle it, I'm here for you. I've been through this,' " said Manning, a two-time Super Bowl MVP.
Manning's advice to his young teammate: "Be smart, and don't get overwhelmed with everything going on."
The quarterback, who has known Beckham for several years after the receiver attended Eli and Peyton Manning's passing camp in New Orleans, has looked for any changes in Beckham's approach.
"I've been kind of on the lookout for him, just making sure he's doing everything right in here, handling his business here, getting his workouts, and he has," said Manning, like Beckham a New Orleans native who attended the same high school -- Isidore Newman High School. "He's got a good head on him, and I think he's handled it well."
Manning knows firsthand what it is to be inundated with attention after a signature play. His completion to wide receiver David Tyree in Super Bowl XLVI, in which Tyree pinned the ball to the side of his helmet, led to Manning's first Super Bowl win.
"You try to just keep a true reality," Manning said. "Keep your friends and your teammates, and there will be some [media and financial] opportunities that maybe present itself that you may want to take advantage of."
He added that Beckham has to remember his priorities.
"You've got to make sure your decisions reflect what you want people to think of you and what's best for your career, for what your day job is, and that's being a football player," Manning said. "Handling that part of your business, that's the most important thing."
So far, so good for Beckham, who is handling overnight fame with remarkable ease -- same as the way he plays.
Bob Glauber retired in 2022 after covering the NFL for nearly 40 years. He was selected in 2021 for the Bill Nunn Career Achievement Award by the Pro Football Writers of America, and is a three-time winner of the New York State Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. President of the PFWA for the 2018-20 seasons, he is the author of “The Forgotten First” and “Guts and Genius.”
