This week, New York Giants' owner John Mara challenged star wideout Odell Beckham Jr. to "Do more playing" and a "little less talking" after witnessing the media fallout of his ESPN interview with Lil Wayne. The full transcript of what he said is available below:
"I wish he would create the headlines by his play on the field as opposed to what he says and what he does off the field," Mara said at the latest NFL owners meeting. "I think he needs to do a little more playing and a little less talking."
Many saw Mara's comments as a way of consolidating the power of head coach Pat Shurmur who wielded a weak position when he redirected the media's attention towards the rest of his team, instead of reprimanding OBJ directly. Nonetheless, Mara's intervention appears to have had the desired effect of quelling OBJ's rising ego. Odell even chose to publicly acknowledge his owner's comments, positively I might add.
"I respect and value his opinion, obviously," Beckham said after practice this week. "So that's what we're going to do, like I said, focus on Atlanta right now. That's really it." The New York Giants visit Atlanta on Monday for a romp with Julio Jones' Falcons.
