And according to the NFL, 3 personal foul calls equal a one game suspension.

I have been a New York Giants fan since 2007, so I have been through the ups and downs that have come with the team. I’ve had my favorite players over the years, and my current #1, Odell Beckham Jr., caused some unnecessary trouble during the game on Sunday against the undefeated Carolina Panthers.

OBJ came onto the scene last year, after being drafted out of LSU, and his infamous one-handed catch against the Dallas Cowboys put him on the map, especially in the world of fantasy football.

Up until Sunday, he was known for his skills on the field and his unique and quite snazzy cleats he would wear during pregame each week (examples include Snoopy/Charlie Brown, the Joker, and just recently, light-up Christmas ones). Now all ESPN is talking about is his fighting techniques against the Panthers’ cornerback, Josh Norman.

Leading up to the game, media outlets were talking about the match-up between the two, but I don’t think anyone thought it would have gotten as out of hand as it did.

The fighting began fairly early in the game and didn’t stop until the end. The two were going after each other to the point where four unnecessary roughness calls were made between the two: OBJ – 3, Norman – 1. There was shoving and pushing, wrestling each other to the ground, shoving hands into face masks, and grabbing of legs – most of which were started by OBJ.

OBJ played the entire game, although not receiving a single catch in the first half. It wouldn’t be until the fourth quarter when the wide receiver would find himself in the end zone with the game tying touchdown.

The refs didn’t do their job because OBJ should have been thrown out by halftime. I understand that football is an aggressive sport and players can show passion on the field, but OBJ was not only being reckless but acting selfish towards his team.

Personal foul calls are 15 yards, so let’s do some simple math. 3 personal foul calls for OBJ x 15 yards = 45 yards. By himself, OBJ cost his team 45 yards, which is almost half of the football field itself. He put himself and Norman in danger of getting hurt, especially after taking a head shot in the third quarter.

I obviously wasn’t on the sidelines or in the locker room with the team, but someone on that coaching staff should have pulled him aside after the first personal foul call to tell him to get his act together. He tainted the brand of the Giants, could have harmed himself or others, and wasn’t showing the maturity that we all thought he had because of his work ethic and skill set.

The NFL came down with the ruling that we all suspected: OBJ was handed a one game suspension, meaning he will sit during next Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings. He has the opportunity to appeal the suspension, however, most, including myself, feel that it is necessary and just for his actions during Sunday’s game.