Giants fans come for OBJ on Twitter after he says he felt 'stuck' in New York
As bad breakups go, the one between New York Giants fans and Odell Beckham Jr. seems to keep dragging on.
And it’s mostly Giants fans who aren’t ready to move on. New York supporters jumped into Beckham’s mentions on social media after the wideout gave an interview to Complex.com that briefly touched on his exit from the Big Apple.
“I just felt with the Giants I was just stuck at a place that wasn’t working for me anymore,” Beckham said. “I felt like I wasn’t going to be able to reach my full potential there; mentally, physically, spiritually, everything I felt capable of doing, I just couldn’t see it happening there. So I think allowing me to be in an environment where I can be myself and give it a different approach, I feel like my football will benefit. I’m just excited about being able to play football again and not have to deal with all the other stuff and politics that came with my previous role.
“... I’m trying to achieve growth. I want to release myself from my past and have a fresh start. I’ve been waiting to explode in games, and I’ve been working extremely hard to get take my game to the next level. That’s exactly what I think I can do at the Browns.”
That’s a pretty straightforward approach to moving on from a bad situation and trying to start over, right? Well not if you’re a Giants fan who thinks Beckham is somehow to blame both for the team’s misfortunes and the breakup that sent him to Cleveland. Specifically, the part about being “stuck at a place that wasn’t working for me anymore” seems to have struck a nerve.
So much so that Beckham has been responding to critics on Twitter by both defending his comments — as if there’s anything in there that warrants a defense — and telling fans to move on.
No point in arguing. I’ve moved on.
— Odell Beckham Jr (@obj) June 22, 2019
Key word.... “anymore” 😭 nuff said. Everyone have a blessed day! I’m gettin better let’s all do that in every which way we can! LUV
— Odell Beckham Jr (@obj) June 22, 2019
Man that shxt gets tiring. Nothin is personal... remember !!? This is all business , right?
— Odell Beckham Jr (@obj) June 22, 2019
I’m thankful GOD gave me and opportunity to play my first years where he did. I’m thankful for every memory and experience I had there. The good and the bad. I’m thankful for every hater and supporter, for every fan. I will always have luv 4 that place. But we ALL have moved on.
— Odell Beckham Jr (@obj) June 22, 2019
GOD MADE ME. GOD CREATED ME. GOD MADE MY LIFE WHAT IT IS TODAY. U don’t like it? Take it up wit him , y’all bother him wit ur tweets and concerns😭🙏🏾 it’s alll LUVVV
— Odell Beckham Jr (@obj) June 22, 2019
Players change teams all the time. Even great ones. The way things ended in New York were unfortunate but it’s hard to blame Beckham for feeling stuck. Quarterback Eli Manning wasn’t getting any younger or better and had he stayed he’d be working as the primary target on offense for either Manning or rookie Daniel Jones. Maybe that’s better for fans, but it’s hard to see how it helps Beckham’s career the way lining up with the likes of Jarvis Landry, Baker Mayfield and Nick Chubb does.
To say Beckham was taking shots at the Giants is wildly overstating things and after all the good times he had in New York it’s easy to see why fans suggesting otherwise would be frustrating to him.
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Blake Schuster is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at blakeschuster@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
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