Odell Beckham Jr. was on the cover of GQ Magazine's August issue, and because he is OBJ, no one will be surprised to learn he stirred some controversy in the feature article.
The Browns wide receiver touched on many topics, including his belief that he is held to a different standard than Patriots quarterback Tom Brady because of race.
“Race plays into everything, whether we want to believe it or not,” Beckham told GQ. “I remember posting a video of me and Tom Brady, and I hate to even bring him in this, but he’s passionate. He cares — he wouldn’t still be playing if he didn’t care for the game the way that he did today. He throws a cup, he yells at referees, he yells at his coach. It’s because he cares that bad. He wants to win that bad. Now, because he has won six Super Bowls they validate him and say, 'He’s won six Super Bowls.'
Presenting GQ’s August cover star: @obj https://t.co/V3m7IHkVu0 pic.twitter.com/xwsBOLixaL
— GQ Magazine (@GQMagazine) July 22, 2019
“I want to win the same way he wants to win. Whether I hit a kicking net or whether I do whatever. I want to win that bad. I care about winning more than anything. I didn’t get into this to celebrate and score touchdowns. I didn’t get into this for followers for Instagram. It’s, like, you’ve built a monster, but now you’re upset at the one you built. Why are you mad at me? While I’m playing football, I’m not holding a camera on myself. Everything is about what you show the world.”
Beckham, a three-time Pro Bowl selection in five seasons with the Giants, will begin a new chapter this season playing for a resurgent Browns franchise. Cleveland acquired the 26-year-old receiver via an offseason trade. Beckham said he felt "disrespected" upon hearing the news.
"My initial reaction was not disappointment.… I felt disrespected," Beckham said. "Like, after everything I've done for them. This is me being honest: This team has not been good for the last six years. Period. … I felt disrespected, because I felt like I was a main reason at keeping that [Giants] brand alive. They were getting prime-time games, still, as a 5-and-11 team. Why? Because people want to see the show. You want to see me play. That's just real rap. I'm not sitting here like, 'It's because of me.' But let's just be real."