Odell Beckham Jr has been suspended one game for launching himself, missile-like, head first into Carolina Panthers cornerback Josh Norman on Sunday.
The New York Giants wide receiver was not punished at the time.
It was a moment which sparked outrage from Norman after the game.
Prior to kick-off, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, there were actions from Carolina Panthers staff which could partially explain Beckham's behaviour.
Panthers staff carried baseball bats on to the field and gestured towards Beckham. Norman - who was involved in a physical battle with Beckham throughout the game - was captured on film swinging the bat during the warm-up.
This was conduct which made Beckham feel threatend.
In pregame warmups, at least one Panthers official, and possibly more, carried black baseball bats on to the field and were motioning with them towards Odell Beckham Jr. while making comments to him, per a league source. Norman later grabbed the black bat and was swinging it in pregame warmups – which, by the way, an NFL Films camera captured. Beckham, according to another source, felt threatened and it helped put him in a certain frame of mind. It does not excuse what he did during the course of the game, but it does explain what led up to the battle that still is the talk of the league today.
Here's the incident involving Norman and Beckham.
