EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Randy Moss knows a thing or two about emotion and controversy. He was once the hotshot wide receiver dealing with much of the same criticism that New York Giants star Odell Beckham Jr. is facing after his sideline outburst Sunday against the Washington Redskins.
Moss was fined and criticized for his actions during the early years of his career with the Minnesota Vikings, whom the Giants play Monday night. The spotlight was bright and -- much like Beckham -- every move he made was analyzed.
Moss understands Beckham’s plight about whether to curb the same energy that allows him to be one of the league’s top receivers or be his 23-year-old self on and off the field.
“When you talk about emotion, I’m not mad, looking at how young Odell Beckham is,” said Moss, now an ESPN analyst. “That’s passion, man.
There are other ways that I guess people show it. But man, he wants to make plays. He wanted to make plays.”
The rhetoric about Beckham this week was a result of an altercation with the kicking net, followed by screaming and yelling on the sideline, after a fourth-quarter interception ruined a Giants drive. Beckham responded after the 29-27 loss to rival Josh Norman and the Washington Redskins by saying he “didn’t remember” pretty much everything, aside from the officials putting him on notice before the game.
But Redskins vs. Giants wasn’t a normal game. Moss thinks that played into the equation.
“You think about the hype leading up to last week’s game against the Redskins. It wasn’t just the Redskins against the Giants. It was Beckham-Norman, you know what I’m saying? That was like some boxing stuff, man,” Moss said. “I understood his frustration. I know he caught some balls. I know he got some yards, but I said on [Sunday NFL] Countdown that man really wants to get up in that end zone. When he gets up in that end zone, that is when he’s allowed to strut, dance and do all the other stuff.”
Beckham caught seven passes for 121 yards against Norman and the Redskins. But he didn’t reach the end zone. He has yet to score a touchdown this season.
The volatile wide receiver isn’t about to make any sweeping changes. He’s still on pace for close to 1,500 yards receiving and his actions Sunday against the Redskins didn’t affect the outcome of the game.
"Nah, I'm not really ... I'm in a great place right now," Beckham said Thursday. "Mentally, physically, spiritually, there is not really much that bothers me at all, to be honest.
So I'm going to go out and play football the only way I've ever known how to play, try my best to be the best teammate you possibly can.
"At the end of the day, you play for the guys that wear the jersey. They're the ones who take the field with you, who you share the blood, sweat and tears with. I'm just going to go out and be who I am."
Moss thinks that who Beckham is will change over time. It comes with age and will be part of the natural evolution and maturation process for a talented wide receiver.
Beckham’s just going to need some help along the way, which is what coach Ben McAdoo suggested Monday. Beckham is also going to need to look in the mirror.
“I understood [Beckham’s] frustration,” Moss said. “But at the same time, being able to control it and hold it -- I’m not saying it’s the last time he’s going to do it -- but like I said, I understand it. It’s up to the head coach and the team to go out there and help him control it.
“But at the same time, he has to want to do it. It’s something I had to learn later because I was just football when I came into the league. Just football, football, football. When you know better, you do better.”