The New York Giants' leaders made it clear they didn't condone Odell Beckham Jr.'s on-field actions Sunday, but they also stood by their man. Quarterback Eli Manning even took a jab at Panthers cornerback Josh Norman, who spoke out against Beckham in his postgame comments.
"To the media, I think he cried a little bit," Manning said of Norman on a Monday conference call. "I didn't think that was necessary."
Manning seemed to direct the blame for the Beckham-Norman feud somewhat equally, but he said "of course" he supported his teammate and that he was "proud" of Beckham for "taking the high road" in his own postgame comments. Beckham basically refused to even acknowledge questions about the on-field spats between him and Norman when asked about them in the locker room.
Giants coach Tom Coughlin offered support for Beckham too, though he made it clear he wasn't OK with the way things went on the field Sunday.
"We all know that the personal battles have no presence in the game of football, not at any level," Coughlin said, echoing the message he said he gave his team in Monday's meeting. "They're a distraction. They break concentration. They prevent the great game of football from being played as a team, team sport.
"That being said, there are qualities that Odell Beckham, this young man, bring to this football team the likes of which I've never seen. He has great energy. He has great enthusiasm. He gives great effort. He does it literally every day that he walks out on the field. I will not defend his actions yesterday, because they were wrong and this particular franchise and organization does not tolerate that. But I will defend the young man and the quality of the person. I will defend him as long as I am able."
Coughlin said wide receivers coach Sean Ryan spoke with Beckham "on a series-by-series basis" about the on-field antics, that he himself had a few interactions with Beckham and that Beckham was not out of control on the sideline between plays. Coughlin also once again explained the reasons he didn't remove Beckham from the game when Beckham was getting out of control.
"I don't want one player throughout the course of the game, and to be honest with you, I wasn't aware of the fact that all those personal fouls were directed at Odell," Coughlin said. "And secondly, there's a young player that's being educated and that, quite frankly, is an excellent football player. And if we were to have a chance to win the game, I wanted him to be out there. I'll be honest with you."
Beckham was suspended for one game by the NFL on Monday. Before that was announced, Manning said he would be surprised if Beckham was suspended for Sunday night's game in Minnesota. The Giants need to win both of their remaining games and have Washington lose both of their games in order to make the playoffs.
Coughlin was asked how difficult it would be to have to try to win one of those two remaining games without Beckham.
"You ask a question that requires no answer," the coach said.
Coughlin said he and his staff spoke with Beckham at great length in the week leading up to the Carolina game about the ways in which the Panthers and Norman were going to come after him, and he was disappointed that Beckham lost his composure. He believed Beckham had been much better at controlling his temper on the field this year and was disappointed in the step back. But he is obviously not interested in giving up on his brilliant young star. Not even close.
"It is an ongoing process, the education of young players," Coughlin said. "What do I hope he learns? That there is no place in this game for these personal battles. That it is team first, team last, team always, and nothing stands above that. And that he is responsible to his team to stand above all that. I'm hoping that's what he learns."