Giants coach Tom Coughlin gives spirited defense of Odell Beckham Jr.
Giants coach Tom Coughlin gave an impassioned defense of Odell Beckham Jr. minutes before the standout receiver’s appeal hearing was set to begin on Wednesday.
Coughlin took particular issue with the criticism targeted at Beckham, who was suspended one game for his conduct in Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers.
“It’s not fair. It’s just not,” Coughlin told reporters at the team’s practice facility in East Rutherford, N.J. “If you are naïve enough to think that way, you better do some soul searching.
“Beckham was wrong and we said that was wrong from Day 1, but there were factors involved, starting in pre-game. . . . .There were attempts to provoke him and he was provoked.”
Coughlin said the team has had discussions with the league with the role the Panthers players played, including players bringing a bat onto the field before the game.
Coughlin confirmed Beckham was not at the Giants facility today.
Beckahm and the Giants will likely know by the end of Wednesday whether he’ll be on the sidelines in either street clothes or a game uniform for this weekend’s game against the Minnesota Vikings. He’s scheduled to appear in front of former NFL receiver James Thrash, the appeals officer on the case, inside the NFL’s New York headquarters at noon ET. Thrash is expected to release his decision shortly afterward.