NFL coach accuses Odell Beckham Jr. of quitting on Cleveland Browns, Giants

Did Odell Beckham, Jr. quit on the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants

It’s no secret that 2019 wasn’t the season Odell Beckham, Jr. and the Cleveland Browns hoped it would be. In his first year with the club, Beckham had 1,035 yards receiving with 14 touchdowns. Those numbers are solid but when you think of OBJ, you think of a transcendent star ‚— and those stats aren’t transcendent.

Of course, there was a lot going on behind the numbers to dissect.

One was a nagging injury that slowed him down all season. The other was some questionable offensive play-calling from Freddie Kitchens, who has since been replaced.

However, there’s another NFL coach who is saying there’s a third reason for OBJ’s struggles. This coach, who was called a “prominent” but anonymous coach said OBJ has been taking plays off “for years.”

The quote came from an ESPN Insider article by Jeremy Fowler, which ranked Beckham as the fourth-best wide receiver in the NFL, even with the unflattering quote.

"“I’ve been watching him quit on plays for years,” the coach said via Dan Benton of Giants Wire. “[A] mental roller coaster.”"

The coach wasn’t the only member of the NFL world in the article who was critical of Beckham. In addition to his assessment, there was also an anonymous player who had a negative opinion of the Browns wideout.

"“The whole game seems like a lot for him. At some point you have to say none of your teams have been successful. At some point you have to wonder about that.”"

If we are being honest, none of these comments should come as a shock. OBJ has often said he feels as though he’s the most scrutinized player in the NFL.

Of course, that’s expected to some degree when a player is as big of a star as Beckham. Players who excel at the game as much as he does constantly draw attention and that often leads to criticism. He’s also a guy who wears his emotions on his sleeve, which leads to a rush to judgment — which is seen in the comment from the unnamed player.

As for whether or not Beckham quit on plays, that’s not something that can be measured. Much like a player’s ‘heart’, their desire or effort cannot be quantified and it’s rarely ever fair to say someone definitively quit on plays — especially when that person was dealing with injuries to the extent Beckham was in 2020.

Having said that, the criticism comes with the territory with No. 13, so this assessment really should be taken with a grain of salt since it’s simply one man’s opinion.