NFL: Only time will tell if Beckham gets fined for wearing watch on the field
BEREA, OHIO— Browns receiver Odell Beckham Jr. doesn’t believe the “plastic” Richard Millie watch he sported Sunday against the Tennessee Titans violates a league rule and said Tuesday he will continue to wear it.
“I’ll still be wearing it,” Beckham said as the Browns prepare for a trip to New York for a
Monday Night Football appearance against the Jets. “The same way I wear it every day, at practice, I go here, I go there. I’ve been wearing it. Take a shower with it on. It’s just on me. “It shouldn’t be an issue.” Asked about a potential fine, Beckham said, “For what? You’ve got to look into the rule book. It says you can’t wear any hard objects. The watch is plastic. But people have knee braces on that are hard and made out of metal and you don’t see them taping it up. No jewelry on, so I’m good.”
Beckham seemed exasperated with the situation, following up a disgruntled “If it ain’t one thing … it’s another” tweet Monday night with similar remarks.
“Yeah, that’s just my life. If I ain’t this, it’s something else,” he said. “If it wasn’t the watch, it would’ve been the way that I tie my shoes.”
The watch seemingly violates a rule prohibiting “hard objects,” although donning jewelry during games is not prohibited. As of Monday afternoon, the league had addressed the issue with the Browns and intended to contact Beckham. And a person familiar with the situation told the Beacon Journal/ Ohio.com a fine is not anticipated.
Beckham said Tuesday he had not talked with the league about the watch. A company representative emailed the Washington Post saying Beckham purchased the orange RM 11-03 Automatic Flyback Chronograph McLaren for $189,500 (U.S.) at a Richard Mille boutique.
In his franchise debut following a March trade by the Giants, Beckham led the Browns with seven catches for 71 yards on 11 targets. He ran his string of consecutive games with at least three receptions to 58, tied for the third-longest in history.
“I’m here to play football. I would love for them to talk about football and what I do on the field,” Beckham said. “If I messed up on the field or if I didn’t do well on the field, talk about my performance. Don’t talk about any extracurricular, that’s just it. If anybody else would’ve worn the watch, or if it was a $20 watch, it wouldn’t have been no problem.”