The wide receiver overstayed his welcome in New York and was sent to Ohio. Odell Beckham Jr. continues to believe that the New York Giants had ill intentions when they traded him to the Cleveland Browns almost five years ago.
During an episode of teammate Marlon Humphrey’s “Punch Line Podcast,” the Ravens receiver expressed ongoing dissatisfaction with how his time with the Giants came to an end. Referring to his 2019 comments to Sports Illustrated, Beckham clarified his sentiments on the matter.
“There’s a part of me that feels like the Giants sent me off, I’ve said it before, sent me off to Cleveland to die,” he affirmed on the Punch Line Podcast. “I could’ve gone to the 49ers; I could’ve gone to the Patriots; I could’ve gone to teams that had a chance to be great, and that’s not what their desire was. You can’t tell me that, ‘This was the best trade package we could’ve got for you.’ Your desire was to kind of mess me over a little bit, is how I feel.”
Beckham explained that his perceived disruptive behavior stemmed from frustration with the Giants’ consistent losing during his tenure, including a 3-13 season before his trade. Expressing regret that the Giants didn’t make changes to support Eli Manning, Beckham emphasized his desire for the team to win.
“I want to see Eli go out with another Super Bowl. We’re not putting the pieces around him. I was being wasted as well,” he concluded.
Beckham recalled learning about the trade while in Paris for Drake’s tour, underscoring the bitterness associated with the Giants’ decision. Despite earlier assurances from general manager Dave Gettleman that Beckham was not signed to be traded, the wide receiver was traded just one season after signing a lucrative contract extension.
