Bills are Whining About Odell Beckham Throwing Multiple Punches, Video Suggests Otherwise
By Jason Lisk
The Buffalo Bills are complaining about Odell Beckham, Jr. throwing multiple punches, according to the Buffalo News.
Let’s break it down, because the eye in the sky, as they say, don’t lie.
“The reason linebacker Preston Brown retaliated after a play late in the fourth quarter was because Beckham punched him,” according to the Buffalo News.
Video of that play, from the coaches tape, shows no punch. There was a fumble when Eli Manning turned to call timeout, the shotgun snap hit him, and he immediately fell on it. One of the Bills rushers continued, pushed a lineman over Eli, and that prompted a shove of some type by Beckham, understandable with his quarterback under the pile. Then, you can see Preston Brown deliver a two-handed shove and get caught for it. Whatever may have happened on that play, there is no punch visible. The video does not seem to support the version being passed on in this story.
Now, to the second play. “Then, three snaps later, the wideout punched safety Duke Williams after an interception.”
The interception was thrown to the other side of the field and Beckham is seen racing down the field, Williams is chasing after him, it appears, specifically. Then they meet and Williams knocks down Beckham (lest you were wondering if these poor innocent Bills were having tea and crumpets), both go tumbling to the ground in a heap. Legal play, physical play.
When Beckham gets up, he gives a forearm to the chest of Williams (I suppose one could interpret this as a “punch”, but I doubt this move would ever draw an ejection). Williams gives a two-armed shove back. In Williams’ retelling, he throws his arms up in the air wondering why there was no call. In the original telling, the arms go out first.
[UPDATE: This video angle appears to show contact to the facemask on the second play]
Is Beckham a trash talker? Yes. Are the Bills trash talkers who also like to hit and push the line? Yes. Move along and stop the whining. It’s unbecoming for men of your stature.
[GIFs by Michael Shamburger]