New York Giants

Giants GM says Odell Beckham Jr. needs to 'grow up,' and he's absolutely right

Published Jan. 10, 2017 9:57 a.m. ET

Cameron DaSilva

The best player on the New York Giants’ roster is Odell Beckham Jr. There’s no doubt about that, and he might just be one of the five most talented players in all of football. Beckham has everything you want in a wide receiver: speed, good hands, leaping ability, position flexibility.

There’s just one problem: He’s immature.

Sure, there are hundreds of emotional players in the NFL. But there’s a difference between being emotional and being immature. And that’s the bridge Beckham has to cross.

Giants GM Jerry Reese echoed as much on Monday when he spoke out on Beckham and his lack of maturity.

“I see a guy who needs to think about some of the things that he does,” Reese said, via Newsday. “Everybody knows he’s a gifted player. But there are some things that he’s done and he needs to look himself in the mirror and be honest with himself about. I think he’ll do that. We’ll help him with that, but he has to help himself.”

Of course, Reese is obviously referring to Beckham’ impromptu and highly criticized trip to Miami with his fellow wide receivers. You know the story by now: They partied with Justin Bieber, hung out on a boat with Trey Songz. It’s near-impossible to prove his day trip had an ill effect on his performance against the Packers on Sunday, but he brought the criticism upon himself.

He and his receivers knew that if they had a poor game – which they very much did to the tune of several drops, three of them by Beckham – they would never hear the end of it. And they probably won’t, much like the way people still bring up Tony Romo and Jason Witten’s trip to Cabo in 2007.

Romo and Witten have since grown up in a big way, and Reese thinks it’s time for Beckham to do the same.

“He’s a smart guy, but sometimes he doesn’t do smart things,” Reese said. “We all had to grow up at different times in our lives. I think it’s time for him to do it now. He’s been here three years now.”

He continued:

“He has a responsibility as a face of this franchise, and I think he’ll accept that responsibility.”

There’s nothing wrong with being a fiery player who plays with passion. There is a problem with being a distraction to your team by getting into fights on the field, or dominating the coverage the week before a playoff game with an unnecessary story.

Based on the way he’s started his career – setting records and dominating opposing corners, mind you – he’s a future Hall of Famer. There’s no doubt about that, as long as he stays on the right track. But it’s time for him to grow up, and it couldn’t come at a better time.