The Giants were so unhappy with some of the comments made by Odell Beckham during a recent ESPN interview that the team decided to punish him for it. According to Jay Glazer of Fox Sports, Beckham was fined an undisclosed amount by the team. If the Giants are hoping to mend things with their star receiver, that's probably not going to help. Although it's not clear what specific comments Beckham is being fined for, there are definitely two strong candidates. For one, Beckham basically threw Eli Manning under the bus when he was asked if the Giants have an issue at quarterback. "I don't know," Beckham said when asked if Manning is an issue. "Like I said, I feel like he's not going to get out the pocket. He's not -- we know Eli's not running it. But is it a matter of time issue? Can he still throw it, yeah, but it's been pretty safe and it's been, you know ... cool catching shallow [routes] and trying to take it to the house. But I'm, you know, I want to go over the top of somebody." No matter how they feel about their quarterback, most receivers would probably answer this question with a simple "We don't have any issues. I love our quarterback." However, that's not the route Beckham decided to go. Beckham also raised some eyebrows with his answer when he was asked if he was happy in New York. "It's a tough question," Beckham said. "Obviously, I love, I love seeing the sunshine all the time. I love being in L.A. I just like that atmosphere, but this is where I'm at. I remember before games, I used to get that. I used to get butterflies, like good butterflies. I was anxious. And now when I step on the field, it's something completely different. It's not butterflies." In the end, Beckham did say he wants to be in New York, but he didn't sound thrilled about it. "It's like I want to be here, like I've been waiting to get here this whole time," Beckham said. "I feel like a caged animal who gets this -- it's my 60 minutes of playtime. I can play with other people. We can play nice, or we don't have to play nice. But I get to play, and I get to do all this. This is my time to be out of the cage. If somebody's messing with me during my time to be out of the cage, like, it's going to be a problem." The Giants probably felt the need to fine Beckham because he basically blindsided them with the interview. According to Pro Football Talk, Beckham didn't let the team know that he was going to do it. Although Beckham reportedly apologized for his comments on Saturday night, most players in the locker room reportedly weren't even aware of what he was apologizing for since the interview didn't air until Sunday morning.<doc-sep>Odell Beckham Jr.’s mouth got him plenty of attention this past week — and it also cost him some money. The Giants fined him an undisclosed amount, The Post confirmed via an NFL source, for his comments in an ESPN interview that left the coaching staff, the front office and ownership upset with the star receiver. Beckham then had a quiet game in Thursday night’s 34-13 loss to the Eagles catching just six passes for 44 yards. Beckham, seated next to rapper Lil Wayne in the interview that bothered the Giants, made several remarks the Big Blue considered to be not in the best interests of the team. Beckham did not outwardly support Eli Manning, seemed to question coach Pat Shurmur’s offense and would not even say he was happy to be playing for the Giants. After the Giants signed Beckham to a $95 million contract extension, the expectation was Beckham would keep any unrest he felt in-house. LB Olivier Vernon, who missed the Giants’ first five games with a high ankle sprain, played Thursday for the first time this season and went to work in the first half on Eagles left tackle Jason Peters. Peters left in the second half with a biceps injury and Vernon got his first sack of the season in the third quarter. Vernon left the field with cramping early in the fourth quarter, but was able to return. “It felt great to be back, just gotta get my legs back,’’ Vernon said. “Was expecting a win. Didn’t really go our way, but just gotta recover.” Saquon Barkley’s 55-yard catch-and-run in the second quarter put him over 100 total yards for the sixth consecutive game. Barkley joined the Chiefs’ Kareem Hunt as the only players in NFL history with at least 100 total yards in their first six career games. LB Ray-Ray Armstrong was forced out early in the third quarter with a concussion. … WR Cody Latimer (hamstring) also did not finish the game. … CB Antonio Hamilton left the game in the third quarter with an illness. TE Rhett Ellison came out of the loss in Carolina with a foot injury and was listed as questionable. The short week did not help him and he was one of the Giants’ inactives. With Evan Engram missing his third consecutive game, the Giants were down to the last two tight ends on the roster: Scott Simonson and rookie Garrett Dickerson. Offensive lineman Spencer Pulley received snaps as a tackle-eligible. LB Nate Stupar got his first extensive work on defense, playing alongside Alec Ogletree on the inside. The Giants have the weekend off, and Shurmur will take advantage of the break by heading to Nashville to see his son play for Vanderbilt. Kyle Shurmur is a senior quarterback for the Commodores. Vanderbilt (3-3) faces Florida (5-1) Saturday afternoon. This will be the first time Pat Shurmur will see his son play in person since Nov. 25, 2017, when Vanderbilt beat Tennessee 42-24 in Knoxville.<doc-sep>Odell Beckham Jr. didn’t think he’d get away with airing his grievances publicly, did he? The New York Giants fined their star wide receiver for his controversial interview with ESPN’s Josina Anderson and rapper Lil Wayne, FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer reported Thursday night on Twitter and on FOX’s “Thursday Night Football” broadcast just prior to kickoff. Just reported on Thursday Night Football on @NFLonFOX that the Giants fined Odell Beckham Jr for his comments last week. — Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) October 11, 2018 Glazer didn’t indicate exactly when the Giants fined Beckham or how much it cost him. Beckham last Sunday criticized his role in the Giants’ offensive schemes and quarterback Eli Manning during the interview. He also questioned his teammates’ heart and energy levels and cast doubt over his own long-term future in New York, despite the fact he recently signed a record-setting contract extension.<doc-sep>
Bill Kostroun/Associated Press New York Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. opened up on a series of topics ranging from his controversial interview with ESPN to wanting to be a leader like LeBron James. In an interview on UNINTERRUPTED, Beckham reflected on his interview with ESPN's Josina Anderson in which he called out the Giants' heart and effort: "The things that I said, could they have been handled a different way? I think when you look back on anything, and there's things that are conflicting, you always look back and be like 'it could have been handled a different way.' ... My message was to be nothing more than encouraging everybody to be their very best. To pick it up even more than you have. To dedicate and sacrifice more than you ever have." Fox Sports' Jay Glazer reported the Giants fined Beckham for his original comments. Beckham added LeBron James is someone who he has "looked up to" and "whose footsteps he's trying to follow in," but that he doesn't quite have the ability to convey his message in the same way as the four-time NBA MVP. "I'm trying my very best to be like LeBron" Beckham said. "To be a LeBron, in my own way. He's been at the top; he's been to championships. He's done a lot. But to see the way he carries himself, it's like that's what I want. That's what I'm reaching for, is a legacy." Video Play Button Videos you might like Despite the Giants' 1-5 start, Beckham remains optimistic that the team is capable of turning things around: "I'm very optimistic because of ... the way we responded (after the ESPN interview). The way that we came out and fought and played. ... You've gotta think about the games we lost, we lost the first game by four points, and I felt like I could have had four touchdowns. I felt like I could've really helped. Second game (against the Dallas Cowboys), they got on us. Third game, we won, and we played with a lot of energy and heart." Beckham has emerged as the face of the Giants franchise since being drafted in 2014. The 25-year-old had over 1,300 receiving yards and at least 10 touchdowns in each of his first three seasons. The Giants invested heavily in Beckham during the offseason, giving him a five-year contract extension that included a record $40.96 million in guaranteed money. Given the premium New York has placed on Beckham, it's essential for him to become a leader if the Giants are going to return to the playoffs. His ability to reflect on a tumultuous week is a positive first step for the three-time Pro Bowler.