Odell Beckham says the words Pat Shurmur wanted to hear
The Giants are done for the season, but Odell Beckham Jr. insists he isn’t.
The wide receiver didn’t practice again Thursday, limited to riding the stationary bike and catching balls from a JUGS machine as he rehabs from a quad injury, but Beckham said he hadn’t given up hope of returning to the field this season despite the Giants having been eliminated from playoff contention.
“If I can play, I’m gonna play,” Beckham said of his status for Sunday’s game against the Colts in Indianapolis. “That’s just the bottom line.”
Beckham hasn’t played since suffering the injury in an overtime win over the Bears on Dec. 2.
There has been speculation that Beckham might shut himself down since the 5-9 Giants have little to play for, but he said that was news to him.
“Who asked that?” Beckham said when the subject was raised following practice. “I didn’t hear that.”
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After the Giants beat the Bears and routed Washington the following week — without Beckham — the team again began to dream about making a run to the playoffs, but that goal vanished with its loss to Tennessee last week.
Beckham said the change in the team’s status would not derail his comeback attempt. The Giants close out their season next week against the Cowboys.
“You dreamed of being here,” Beckham said. “You dedicated, gave everything to be here. You do all this to play games. As much fun as meetings are and all the other stuff, you do all this to play games. So if I can play, I’m in there headfirst.”
Beckham’s comments came a day after head coach Pat Shurmur said it was “important that all the healthy players are ready to play in the game. … I guess that question leads into that these two games aren’t important. And I don’t believe that. I think what’s important is that we as a team do everything we can to go out there to play the game and try to win the game.”
Beckham acknowledged he could make the injury worse by playing — and that the original injury was worse than he first thought.
“I feel like initially, when this happened, I didn’t think much of it, and it might have been a little more serious than I thought,” Beckham said. “I’m just trying to find my way back. You only get 16 opportunities to play games. Missing them is not fun. I feel like I missed enough games already.”
As for the potential of making the injury worse, Beckham said: “Of course there’s risk, but there’s risk to anything. That’s life.”
In 12 games this season, Beckham has 77 catches for 1,052 yards and six touchdowns. He was limited to four games last year with a fractured left ankle.
“Regardless of our record, I always believe in finishing strong,” Beckham said. “I don’t feel like I’ve gotten to finish strong, being out the last two weeks, but this is why you do it.”
Beckham, who signed a five-year, $95 million deal before the season, added he didn’t feel snubbed when he wasn’t named to the Pro Bowl.
“I’ve just got to work harder,” Beckham said. “That’s all I can say. The guys who did make it are very talented people who had incredible seasons. That’s just motivation to work harder [so] you can be in it next year.”
