The Panthers’ mind games with Odell Beckham Jr. started before kickoff.
The Panthers brought a baseball bat onto the field during pregame warmups and taunted the Giants receiver with it, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.
According to NFL.com, Carolina practice squad player Marcus Ball brought it onto the field and gave it to star cornerback Josh Norman who was swinging it. FOX’s Jay Glazer posted video on Instagram of Norman holding the bat.
Glazer reported that the player who brought the bat onto the field — possibly Ball — threatened Beckham and that was one of the reasons he was on edge.