New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.'s antics during Sunday's loss to the Carolina Panthers may cost him more than a few thousand dollars in expected fines - it may also cost him time on the field. Early Monday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Beckham, caught by cameras, if not always by the refs, throwing punches at and eventually launching himself helmet-first into Panthers cornerback Josh Norman, is likely to face a one-game suspension as a result.
NFL discussing discipline for Odell Beckham Jr. this morning, but based on conversations with league sources, a 1-game suspension is likely.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 21, 2015
Beckham, while he may not hold the league lead in receiving yards or touchdowns, has proven time and again this season that he's the most dangerous player in the game any time he steps onto the field. Against Carolina, while he dropped an early touchdown and was clearly rattled by Norman's physical approach, OBJ still managed a score and 76 yards through the air. He now has 1,396 yards on the season, behind only Antonio Brown and Julio Jones, and has set numerous league and franchise records, including most consecutive 100-yard receiving games by a Giant, and the most receiving yards by a player in the first 24 games of their NFL career.
But it wasn't Beckham's efforts with the ball that caught the attention of fans or the league. Beckham and Norman mixed it up all afternoon, with the notoriously emotional Beckham eventually losing his cool and going after Norman in a way that some, including Norman, thought should have seen the Giants pass-catcher ejected. Beckham wound up collecting three unnecessary roughness penalties on the afternoon.
"The guy ran 15 yards down the field, dead-on collision,'' Norman said after the Panthers victory, per ESPN. "The play was all the way to the left side. He came back and was hunting, and it was just, like, malicious in every way.
"I hope the league office gets a chance to review the film and see what they can do, because players like that don't deserve to be in the game,'' Norman said. "I mean, it's ridiculous."
Here's the play in question...
There were plenty of other examples of questionable behavior by Beckham on the day as well, and assuming Schefter's report is accurate, it could result in the Giants attempting to keep their flagging hopes for the season alive next week against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday Night Football, without quarterback Eli Manning's top target.
