NFL source: No case in OBJ appeal
Odell Beckham Jr. is going to have to fight to lift the onegame suspension levied on him more forcefully than the way he sparred with Josh Norman, as this might be a battle the gifted Giants receiver cannot win.
Beckham’s appeal will take place Wednesday, with James Thrash the hearing officer who will render the decision. Beckham’s availability for Sunday’s game against the Vikings in Minneapolis is on the line.
The suspension — the first ever for a Giants player for an onfield incident — came down Monday, punishment the league explained was for “multiple violations of safetyrelated playing rules.’’ Beckham engaged in repeated altercations with Norman in the Giants’ 3835 loss to the Panthers.
“Does he have a case?’’ asked an NFL sourceso contacted by The Postt. “No, not in this world, w watchedith videos Giantsand the game mostand everybody’s talking about it? You get tried in the court of public opinion.’’
The appeal could have bbeen heard by one of two oofficers, Thrash or Derrick Broooks, a former NFL linebackeer. That Thrash is a former NFL recreceiver might help Beckham, a 23yearold receiver. That Thrash played for a pair of NFC East rivals, the Eagles and Redskins, will not thrill Giants fans but will not have any bearing on this case.
Norman was the initial instigator Sunday, taking Beckham down with a body slam on the first offensive series for the Giants. Thrash also will have to weigh what factor the pregame environment had on Beckham, who may have been threatened with a baseball bat by Marcus Ball, a Panthers practice squad player. Panthers players also shouted homophobic slurs at Beckham, according to several accounts from those on the field within earshot. The Panthers denied any slurs were shouted at Beckham and coach Ron Rivera said Tuesday the team would no longer bring bats on the field before games.
“When they were talking about my client’s family and his mother and his sexuality and then took a bat out and my client felt threatened,’’ the NFL source said, citing a case Beckham can make.
The greatest obstacle for Beckham to overcome is the helmettohelmet blow he delivered in the third quarter, launching himself like a missile into Norman. The league did not take kindly to that action, describing it as “a late helmettohelmet hit against a defenseless player in which Beckham left his feet prior to contact to spring forward and upward into his opponent, lowered his helmet and initiated forcible contact with his helmet, and forcibly struck the defenseless player’s head.”
Beckham, according to a Giants source, is expected to argue he did not intend to hurt Norman, nor was there any intent to hit him in the helmet. Beckham likely will say he directed his helmet into Norman’s shoulder but the cornerback lowered his body angle, causing a helmettohelmet impact.
“If you did that to one of my guys I’d call the freaking police,’’ the NFL source said. “You can’t do that. That’s a coward move.’’
Other arguments Beckham likely will use to plead his case:
He was not ejected from the game by referee Terry McAulay — personalthough McAulayfouls on Beckham.did assess three iw
He is a firsttime offender and, as such, deserves a fine and not a suspension. This might not work, as Beckham in his two seasons has been fined nearly $30,000 for three separate incidents ranging from throwing his helmet, punching an opponent and kicking and shoving an opponent.
There is precedent. Ndamukong Suh, who stomped on the ankle of Aaron Rodgers last year, had his onegame suspension lifted by playing the nointenttoinjure card. Beckham can try to make that same argument.
A decision on the appeal is expected quickly, perhaps the same day.
If the suspension is lifted, Beckham undoubtedly will have to pay a stiff fine. If the suspension sticks, Beckham will lose oneseventeenth of his 2015 salary of $893,000, or $52,529. He will not be allowed at the Giants facility this week, will not be allowed to have any contact with the team and will not travel to Minnesota or play in the game.