Even as he and the Cleveland Browns look to rebound from a disappointing 2019 season, Odell Beckham's thoughts on the 2020 season are pretty clear - he doesn't think there should be one.
The 27-year-old wide receiver told Lane Florsheim of WSJ. Magazine that he doesn't believe it makes sense to have a season during the COVID-19 pandemic, and thinks owners don't respect their humanity:
"Obviously with everything that's going on, it doesn't make sense why we're trying to do this. I can understand basketball was already in the playoffs. Five-on-five basketball in an arena is going to be more intense than regular-season games. Hooping is different than playing an eleven-on-eleven contact sport where there's 80 people in a locker room. We're not ready for football season. So why are we trying to push forward? It's obviously for their money. And that bothers me because there's always been this—and I hate saying it like that—but the owners' [attitude is], 'Oh we own you guys,' and just kind of that unfairness going on that they don't see us as human. I just feel like the season shouldn't happen and I'm prepared for it to not happen and I wouldn't mind not having it."
However, Beckham Jr. apparently has no intention of opting out of the 2020 season, as more than 30 players already have. Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com says that the interview, though just published Monday, was conducted "two weeks ago," prior to him reporting to the team's facility for training camp.
While he may personally not plan to opt out, there's no indication that the gist of his message has changed. Cabot indicated that Beckham Jr. believes that the Browns' facility is very safe. That may be true, but playing in an NFL game may be less safe than ever in 2020. Once a game actually starts, there's no real way to stop players from sweating and bleeding on each other, among other things.
After five seasons with the New York Giants, Beckham Jr. was traded to the Browns ahead of the 2019 season. Despite quite a bit of preseason buzz, the Browns went just 6-10, and Freddie Kitchens was fired as head coach after one season and replaced by former Minnesota Vikings' offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski. Beckham Jr., who averaged a career-worst 64.7 yards per game in 2019, had offseason core muscle surgery.
LISTEN NOW on the RADIO.COM App
Follow RADIO.COM Sports
Twitter I Facebook I Instagram