EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Odell Beckham Jr. had a new look for his first news conference since signing a contract extension with the Giants that made him the N.F.L.’s highest-paid receiver.
“See this polo?” Beckham said. “I’m growing up.”
He was kidding, of course. But the Giants had asked for more maturity from their most dynamic playmaker before committing to him. They saw enough to reward him with a five-year extension worth $19 million per season.
Sure, there was the predictable tough talk from Giants co-owner John Mara in March, after a video surfaced on social media appearing to show Beckham in questionable circumstances, leading Mara to say he was “tired of answering questions about Odell’s behavior.