In many respects, Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. can blame only himself for the struggles arising from his inability to control his emotions. In other respects, the Giants bear plenty of blame, too.
As one league source explained it to PFT, the Giants lack the locker-room leadership that would have nipped OBJ’s issues in the bud, forcing him to comply with the expectations of veteran teammates long before Beckham’s outbursts became a distraction for the rest of the organization.
Quarterback Eli Manning isn’t wired to tell a fellow player what needs to be said, and guys like Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, Shaun O’Hara, David Diehl, and Chris Snee are long gone. Beckham became a star quickly, and by the time he emerged as a target for opposing defensive backs based on his temperament, it was too late for anyone in the locker room to even try to change him.
Compounding the problem is the fact that the Giants have missed on so many first-round picks in recent years. Beckham became the centerpiece of G.M. Jerry Reese’s argument for ongoing employment.
The Giants now have few options when it comes to dealing with Beckham. The apparent plan is to hope that intense media and fan scrutiny shames him into behaving, and that he’ll still be effective after self-clipping his wings a bit.