One year ago, John Mara stood in a posh resort in Orlando, Fla., and declared, “I’m sick of answering questions about Odell’s behavior and what his latest incident is.’’
It was a clear-as-day warning, Giants co-owner to Giants star receiver: Cut it out or you don’t get that fat new contract you want.
One year later, Mara will stand in the lobby of another posh resort this week, this time in Phoenix, and the main topic he needs to address, again, is none other than Odell Beckham Jr. Five months after Mara issued his non-veiled decree, he and co-owner Steve Tisch agreed to secure Beckham with a five-year, $90 million contract, believing the 25-year-old earned the massive deal.
Seven months after the Giants agreed to pay Beckham $21.5 million to play in 12 games, he was traded away — with the blessing of Mara and Tisch — to the Browns. And so, at the NFL’s Annual League Meeting, Mara and Tisch, for the first time, will explain what went wrong with Beckham and the Giants.
General manager Dave Gettleman has already weighed in on the deal that sent Beckham to the Browns in exchange for a first-round pick (17th overall) and a third-round pick (95th overall) in the 2019 NFL Draft, plus 23-year-old safety Jabrill Peppers, saying it was an offer the Giants could not refuse. Coach Pat Shurmur told The Post last week he was “absolutely’’ on board with shipping Beckham out, given the return value.
A year ago, as Mara voiced his extreme displeasure at what at the time was the latest Beckham distraction — a video of him in a Paris hotel room surfaced, with what looked to be illegal drugs nearby — the first rumblings of a possible trade were felt. They were nothing more than rumors — “We’re certainly not shopping him, if that’s what you’re asking,’’ Mara stated, before adding, “When you’re coming off a season when you’re 3-13 and played as poorly as we played, I wouldn’t say anybody’s untouchable.’’
Mara made it clear trading Beckham was “not a scenario I would like to see happen.’’
But it happened, and triggered predictable emotions around the league — mostly, the Giants got panned for the trade — and within a fan base already sagging with the downward spiral the franchise has taken — no playoffs in seven of the last eight years and a record of 8-24 the past two seasons.
Beckham played in 12 games in 2018 and produced, as usual, with 77 receptions for 1,052 yards and six touchdowns before sitting out the final four games with a quad contusion. Shurmur tried to forge a close relationship with Beckham, but the entire organization was rocked by the ESPN/Lil Wayne interview in October, with Beckham unwilling to say he was happy being with the Giants and not denying the team had a quarterback problem with Eli Manning.
Nine days after that interview aired, Mara did not hide his displeasure. “I wish he would create the headlines by his play on the field, as opposed to what he says and does off the field,” Mara said. “I think he needs to do a little more playing and a little less talking.” Beckham was fined and Shurmur insisted Beckham explain to his teammates what he meant by his comments.
A determination was made the Giants would not openly seek to trade Beckham, but they would set a price — at least two first-round picks — and listen — to any offers.
Gettleman views Peppers — the 25th overall pick in the 2017 draft — as the second first-round pick he brought back in the deal with the Browns.
Beckham has not spoken in public about the trade — the Browns released a generic quote from him when the deal was done — and he recently took to social media to announce he was “going dark’’ to get his thoughts together.
The Giants are relieved to move ahead, but their owners this week will not be able to avoid talking about Beckham. Some things never change.
