Odell Beckham Jr. practiced with Johnny Manziel, according to a report
New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham runs with the football against the Cincinnati Bengals during the first half of an NFL football game at MetLife Stadium on Monday, Nov. 14, 2016. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
After several days of making headlines for a variety of reasons — none of which included playing football with the Giants — Odell Beckham Jr. posted a message on Twitter for his critics. It’s one that could find its way to a permanent place on his body, too.
“’If they don’t have a story these days they’ll make one...’” he wrote on Wednesday afternoon. “I might get that tatted😂😂 #StayTheCourse”
It’s hard to tell which story is driving Beckham to ink. He’s made news this week for not attending the first two Giants OTA practices, which are voluntary, as well as for signing a five-year deal with Nike that made him the highest paid shoe and apparel endorser in NFL history.
On Wednesday, a photo of Beckham and former NFL quarterback Johnny Manziel was posted on Instagram, and TMZ reported that Manziel and Beckham worked on passing drills together. The photo — which was posted on Beckham’s custom cleat artist’s account — since has been deleted, but not before some wondered why he was spending time working with Manziel and not Eli Manning at Giants practices.
All of the drama could end soon.
The Giants will hold their third OTA practice on Thursday and Beckham is expected to attend and participate. The session is open to the media and also could be the first time Beckham faces reporters since the postgame locker room at Lambeau Field following January’s playoff loss.
Since then, Beckham has punched a hole in the wall at Lambeau, had his maturity called into question by general manager Jerry Reese, and vowed to fans on Twitter to work harder this season than he has in his first three with the Giants. Add to that this week’s buzzworthy stories and there should be plenty to talk about.
Enough stories, in other words, that no one will have to make one.
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.
