Odell Beckham Jr. Says He Head-Butted Fan to Get Himself 'Fired Up'

New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was caught on camera punching and head-butting a fan on the sideline during Thursday night's 34-13 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

On Friday, Beckham explained that he was just trying to get himself fired up, per Jake Becker and Scott Thompson of SNY:

"I was trying to get myself going. I feel like some of those plays right after I was getting myself going was some of my best stuff. I was trying to get myself fired up, I did that, and it helped me. There was a lot of things that had me fired up. Like I said, it helped me bring out the energy, I don't know a way around it but to get myself going."

Head coach Pat Shurmur didn't seem interested in Beckham's explanation for the incident.

"He can't do that," he said. "He shouldn't do that."

It's been an eventful week for Beckham, who was fined by the team after giving an interview on ESPN alongside Lil Wayne in which he questioned the team's overall heart and energy, wondered why the team wasn't taking more shots down the field in the passing game, expressed a desire to get more targets and even elaborated on some of Eli Manning's weaknesses. 

"I feel like he's not going to get out the pocket," Beckham said in that interview. "He's not, we know Eli's not running it. But is it a matter of time issue? Can he still throw it, yeah, but it's been pretty safe and it's been, you know... cool catching shallow [routes] and trying to take it to the house. But I'm, you know, I want to go over the top of somebody."

Some of those frustrations were on full display Thursday night as Manning struggled mightily, averaging just 6.5 yards per attempt. For the season, Manning is averaging 7.2 yards per attempt, 22nd in the NFL. Part of the issue has been New York's offensive line, which has done a poor job of keeping a clean pocket for Manning. But the Giants simply aren't taking many shots down the field. 

Beckham was clearly frustrated throughout the game, and he also was seen leaving the field early ahead of halftime, with the Giants offense going out to the field for one more play. Both Shurmur and Beckham said he was going to get an IV due to dehydration.

As for the fan, Beckham has had some run-ins in the past with equipment on the sideline, most famously punching a kicking net during the 2016 season (and later making up with a kicking net in a different game). He also punched a hole in the wall outside of the locker room at Lambeau Field following a 2017 playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers.