Pat Shurmur: ‘I never intended’ to play Odell Beckham Jr. in Giants’ preseason opener
Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham makes a one-handed catch during warmups before the start of a preseason game against the Browns at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Thursday. Credit: Daniel De Mato
Odell Beckham Jr. did not play in the Giants’ preseason opener on Thursday night. Nor was he ever going to.
“I want to be smart with his recovery coming back [from ankle surgery],” head coach Pat Shurmur said after the 20-10 loss to the Browns. “I never intended to play him in this game. I didn’t reveal that to [the public], but I never intended to.”
Beckham is returning from ankle surgery but has looked sharp in training camp. He was in uniform with the team on the sideline and warmed up — including a return to his usual pregame one-handed acrobatic show — but did not take the field for a snap.
Shurmur said holding Beckham out had “nothing” to do with negotiations between the team and the player on a contract extension.
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.
