When Odell Beckham Jr. was issued an one-game suspension, he immediately appealed the punishment. His appeal was ultimately denied. The New York Giants wide receiver is no longer allowed to participate in Sunday's game in Minnesota or practice with the Giants for the rest of the week. On Wednesday (Dec. 23), Beckham penned an open apology letter to fans and the NFL organization for his mistake.
The suspension followed an intense game between the Giants and the Carolina Panthers on Sunday (Dec. 20). His performance and actions on the field led the 23-year-old to get flagged three times for unnecessary roughness with Panthers cornerback Josh Norman.
Under the collective bargaining agreement, Beckham had the right to fight his suspension. He appealed the ruling in front of jointly appointed appeals officer Joseph Thrash at the NFL offices in New York City. Around 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Thrash revealed his motion to appeal the suspension was denied.
Beckham took to his personal Twitter account to apologize for his actions, despite losing his appeal, and later released a public statement through the Giants. He understands his ability to play professional football is not only a gift, but a luxury.
— Odell Beckham Jr (@OBJ_3) December 23, 2015
He also admitted his faults during the game on Sunday. One of the things that hurt him the most during the whole ordeal was the affect it had on his fans and the negative light it shed on his role model status.
"I want to apologize to Giants fans," Beckham said in a statement issued by the Giants, according to ESPN. "They want to be proud of us, and proud of players like me who represent their team. What happened the other day was embarrassing to them and embarrassing to me."
Although Panthers cornerbacks Norman and Cortland Finnegan were flagged through various times throughout the game, Beckham received the harshest punishment for running across the field to his Norman head on with his helmet.
His actions were believed to have jeopardize the safety and health of the players on the field, exposing them to unnecessary violence.
Beckham mentioned he takes his responsibilities as a role model very seriously. The way he performed on the field on Sunday was not his best and he hopes his fans still view him as a figure of inspiration.
"I displayed poor sportsmanship," Beckham said in a statement. "And those parents can also say that when you act like that, there are consequences. And I hope to be an example of somebody who did something wrong and learned from it."
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