Eli Manning plays defense for Beckham, says Norman ‘cried’
Odell Beckham #13 of the New York Giants is hit after a snap in the second half by Josh Norman #24 of the Carolina Panthers at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Dec. 20, 2015 in East Rutherford, N.J. Credit: Jim McIsaac
The Odell Beckham Jr. and Josh Norman spat continued on the airwaves Monday, and while Beckham maintained radio silence, he was backed by an unexpected addition to the verbal melee: Eli Manning.
“He just cried a little bit, so I didn’t think that was really necessary,” Manning — speaking on a conference call — said of remarks the Panthers cornerback made in several radio appearances earlier in the day. “I think both those guys were going at it, I don’t think either one was in the right, but I didn’t think one was worse than the other.”
Norman was on ESPN Radio Monday morning talking about the dust-ups with Beckham from Sunday’s game and the hit on him that led to Beckham’s one-game suspension.
“I just pretty much showed people what this guy really is and what he stands for,” Norman said. “I just don’t feel like that’s a part of the game that should be played. If you want to play, let’s play it straight up, let’s do it the right way . . . When you take that too far, when you go at somebody maliciously like that, go head-hunting . . . If you want that kind of game, that’s outside of the game. That’s not even the rulebook anymore. That’s on some other type of stuff.”
Norman also said Beckham should have been ejected.
“How can you respect a guy like that?” he said. “That was ridiculous.”
Norman was flagged for unnecessary roughness in the game and, according to the NFL, could be fined for his actions.
Norman and other Panthers took verbal jabs at Beckham after the game. Beckham did not talk much about the penalties or the other hits that took place on the field.
“I think everybody’s kind of attacking him,” Manning said. “I think Norman came out and made his comments, and I think Odell took the higher road, so I am proud of him on that aspect.”
On his own radio spot on WFAN later in the day, Manning did admit that the helmet-to-helmet hit by Beckham was a “cheap shot,” but he again suggested that Norman’s media blitz was a little much.
“Norman is going all over the air saying he had nothing to do with it,” Manning said. “It’s all Odell, Odell, Odell.”
Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.
