New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. appears to have escaped serious injury despite taking an ugly hit in a 10-6 preseason loss to the Cleveland Browns.
Beckham, who was diagnosed with an ankle sprain, left in the second quarter and was seen on camera writhing in pain while curled in a ball outside the Giants' locker room. He was hurt on a hit delivered by Browns cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun after he made a leaping catch near the right hash mark.
But Beckham was back on the sideline in the second half in a hoodie without pads following an X-ray, and said afterward it was a sprained or rolled ankle. Relieved was a term he agreed with after jogging into the locker room following the game.
Beckham also didn't seem to think there was any doubt he would be ready for the season opener in 19 days on Sept. 10 against the Dallas Cowboys.
"I don't know. I'm pretty concerned," he said with a smile, "but I think I'll be all right."
Considering the way it looked earlier, the situation appeared positive immediately after the game. Beckham is still expected to undergo further tests in New York after the Giants return home.
The injury occurred when Beckham caught a second-quarter pass and was cut down legally by Boddy-Calhoun. Beckham took his time getting to his feet and walked off the field, staring across the line of scrimmage as he exited.
He took the high road after the game and called the play "just football."
Giants teammate Landon Collins was one of a few teammates who felt otherwise, and he made it a point to tell Boddy-Calhoun what he thought about the hit.
"I said he was wrong for what he did,'' Collins said after the game. "He said, 'It is what it is.'
"I'm gonna say it just like this, I couldn't have a teammate next to me playing that way. I can't condone it. It's nothing I seek. He had the opportunity to go out and make a different route. That's how I feel about it. ... It's not a penalty, but everybody knows, that's something you don't do."
Giants coach Ben McAdoo said he would consult with the team's medical staff to determine Beckham's status going forward. The Giants play again in four days against the New York Jets.
"If he can play, he'll play," McAdoo said. "I can't answer that question right now."
The 24-year-old Pro Bowler went to the sideline and jogged toward the locker room before stopping in the stadium concourse and rolling up in a ball, apparently in pain. Beckham was down on both knees before being helped to the locker room by a member of the Giants' training staff.
He called the situation "pretty scary."
Added Collins: "Not many guys could walk away from a hit like that, especially straight on the knee and your feet get caught in the ground. Not many guys walk away from that. That's God blessing him. He got strong bones.''
It was a rough night for the Giants' receiving corps. Brandon Marshall also underwent X-rays during the game on his shoulder, and Tavarres King exited with a sprained ankle.
In a text message on Tuesday morning, Marshall told ESPN's Adam Schefter that he will be fine.
"You never want to see guys leaving the field," quarterback Eli Manning said. "Hopefully all of them are minor [injuries] and we can get back to work on things."
Beckham had three catches for 37 yards before leaving the contest. The first-team offense produced just 87 yards and three points in five drives. In addition, the Giants lost cornerback Michael Hunter to a concussion later in the game.