Justin Pugh not distracted by Odell Beckham’s sideline antics
Odell Beckham Jr. of the Giants looks on during the fourth quarter against the Washington Redskins at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016 in East Rutherford, N.J. Credit: Jim McIsaac
A day after Ben McAdoo said Odell Beckham Jr. has to be “less of a distraction” on the sideline, one of his Giants teammates said he didn’t believe Beckham’s breakdowns affected him in any way.
Offensive lineman Justin Pugh did, however, add the caveat that he wasn’t really paying attention to the receiver’s antics.
“I didn’t find it distracting,” Pugh said on a Tuesday conference call, “but, obviously, I’m also out there playing. I’m not sitting, watching what’s going on the whole time. I’ve got to worry about what I have to do.”
Pugh, like all of the Giants, seems hopeful that Beckham’s passions can be harnessed toward production. Last year against the Panthers and Josh Norman, they were not. That led to a one-game suspension during which the Giants lost to the Vikings.
“He’s one of the leaders of this team,” Pugh said. “He’s an emotional guy. We just have to make sure that those emotions are driven to going out there on the field and performing. I think he knows that, he knows that for sure. Obviously he’s one of the best receivers in the league and we need him out there on the field. Last year when we played Minnesota, we didn’t have him and that definitely hurt. He knows that and he knows we need him out there.”
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.
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