Several key members of the New York Giants organization recieved a letter this week from NFL executive VP Troy Vincent praising the professionalism of heavily scrutinized Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. during the week of the Pro Bowl, according to ESPN.
Beckham was a huge hit and big fan favorite in Orlando, signing countless autographs, taking a number of photos with young fans. Odell was willingly embracing the role as an ambassador to the NFL the entire week.
Well, the professionalism of the 24-year old star wide receiver caught Vincent’s eye and prompted him to send a letter to the Giants higher up’s:
“I would be remiss not to acknowledge how engaging and professional Odell Beckham Jr. was during the entire week of the Pro Bowl, by far and away, he represented the New York Football Giants and the NFL with great poise, congeniality, and professionalism.
Odell single-handily took our engagement to a higher level,” Vincent wrote to the Giants. You should be proud to have him representing your club and your city at the Pro Bowl and I didn’t want to go another day without writing to acknowledge his extraordinary efforts.”
Odell has been an amazing talent since entering the league in 2014, he’s considered an extremely popular player not only in the Giants locker room but around the league as well having strong friendships with Jarvis Landry, Von Miller, Patrick Peterson and even division rival Dez Bryant, who gave his support for Beckham Jr. at the Pro Bowl as well:
“He’s a talent that a lot of people wouldn’t be able to understand, you want to criticize him. You want to talk about him because you just don’t understand him — his whole mindset, the way he goes about his game. He’s a hell of a football player. He’s a great football player.”
Vincent wasn’t the only person who publicly acknowledged Odell Beckham during the Pro Bowl, Saints QB Drew Brees and Ravens safety Eric Weddle thanked Odell for being kind to their kids:
In the NFC Pro Bowl locker room…this is @OBJ_3 Jr Jr pic.twitter.com/asjpyxI5oh
— Drew Brees (@drewbrees) January 26, 2017
Thank you @Millerlite40 and @OBJ_3 . Made my son’s night. Much love guys. pic.twitter.com/XUuhRVCDL6
— Eric Weddle (@weddlesbeard) January 30, 2017
However, Beckham has had his fair share of controversies as well, especially with opposing cornerbacks. There was the infamous on-field brawl with Josh Norman in 2015, which earned Beckham a one-game suspension. Buffalo’s Stephon Gilmore and former Washington cornerback Chris Culliver has publicly ripped the talented WR for his complaining on the field.
Beckham was also among the league leaders in fines this season. There were at least six incidents where he was docked by the league. In the Giants’ final game of the season, a playoff game in Lambeau Field against the Packers, Beckham allegedly punched a hole in the wall after the loss.
After the loss, Giants general manager Jerry Reese publicly stated that it was time Beckham “grew up.”
Prior to the playoff game, Beckham’s maturity was brought into question when he and the rest of the Giants wide receiver’s took a trip to Miami and were pictured together on a boat.
But through all that, it seems Beckham’s criticism may be a bit dramatized, after all, he was nothing short of a fan favorite during the Pro Bowl, epitomizing class and professionalism.
We’ll see next year if Beckham’s antics go silent and the 24-year star wide receiver can continue to mature into one of the all-time great wide receivers this game has ever seen.
