Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr.: Can't control who likes, doesn't like me

New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.doesn't think he is well-liked "anywhere" around the NFL.

"I don't know if I'm necessarily liked anywhere, really," Beckham said Wednesday when asked if there was any lingering resentment among the Dallas Cowboys following his celebrated one-handed catch. "It just is what it is when we're on the field; off the field, there's no hard feelings for me anywhere. At the end of the day, it's football.

"I can't control who resents, likes, doesn't like, in a sense. We just go out there, handle our business, play football and keep it moving from there."

Beckham, 23, is set to start his third professional season with a matchup Sunday afternoon against the Cowboys andcornerback Brandon Carr, who was on the wrong end of Beckham's famous, behind-the-ear grab two years ago.

Two of Beckham's three least productive games last season actually came against Carr, with the Cowboys limiting the Pro Bowl receiver to nine catches for 79 yards in the two meetings.

"It just happened that way," Beckham said. "First game last year was in Dallas' stadium and, like I said, we really didn't hit the ground running. It was kind of lackadaisical and we were going through the motions. Make sure this year we hit it and get it right."

Whenever Beckham takes the field, all eyes are on the electric receiver. He's eccentric, flashy and talented. He makes one-handed grabs, plans elaborate touchdown dances and holds an extended, one-handed catch session during warm-ups.

Does it make him a villain?

"I don't know. You tell me," Beckham said. "Could be that way, couldn't be that way, I don't know. I'm more focused on this year and accomplishing the goals that we have set out -- winning games."

Opposing players, particularly Washington Redskins cornerback Josh Norman, have cited Beckham's whining and constant complaining as reasons why there is dislike for him.

Cornerback Chris Culliver, now with the Miami Dolphins, called Beckham "the most complaining person I've went against." Stephon Gilmore of the Buffalo Bills called him a prima donna.

But Beckham thinks differently in regards to why those perceptions exist.

"Because of this," he said, flashing a grin from ear to ear. "I don't know. I have fun. I'm myself at all times and I don't think it's necessarily liked all the time, unless you're on my side. I can't really control that. Like I said, I can't control who likes, doesn't like me. It's football at this point."

Beckham does have his backers. He's popular in the locker room and is developing into a respected leader among his Giants teammates. He has also built a stable of NFL friends, including Miami's Jarvis Landry, Cincinnati's Jeremy Hill, Arizona's Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu, Dallas cornerback Morris Claiborne, Pittsburgh's Antonio Brown, Minnesota's Teddy Bridgewaterand seemingly anyone else withLSUties.

The names of Brown, wide receiver Anquan Boldin and running back Reggie Bush were mentioned during Beckham's 15-minute news conference Wednesday; he worked out with all three this offseason.