NEW YORK — Odell Beckham Jr. is going to have his appeal of his one-game suspension heard by a former NFL receiver.
The NFL said Tuesday that former Washington and Philadelphia wide out James Thrash will be the hearing officer for the appeal by the New York Giants receiver. The hearing will be held at an undisclosed time and place.
Thrash and Derrick Brooks are the hearing officers jointly appointed by the NFL and the players’ association.
The league suspended Beckham on Monday for his conduct against Carolina, when he drew three personal foul penalties. The league cited “multiple violations of safety-related playing rules.”
The Giants (6-8) face a key game on Sunday night at Minnesota. If Beckham’s appeal is turned down, the Giants will be without their best offensive option.
Beckham and Panthers cornerback Josh Norman tangled from the beginning of the Panthers’ 38-35 victory. There was plenty of pushing, shoving, swinging, wrestling, late hits and trash talking between them. The most flagrant action came in the third quarter when Beckham delivered a diving helmet-to-helmet hit on Norman while blocking.
Beckham, the 2014 Offensive Rookie of the Year, has 91 catches for 1,396 yards and 13 touchdowns, tied for the league lead. He has a base salary of $893,000 and would lose $55,813 for being suspended for Sunday night’s game.
The suspension was imposed by NFL Vice President of Football Operations Merton Hanks, who ruled that Beckham’s actions placed his opponents at unnecessary risk of injury and should have been avoided.
The conduct of other players in the Panthers-Giants game is being reviewed by the NFL for potential fines.
Beckham would not be permitted this week to be at the team’s practice facility if the suspension was upheld. He would be barred from team meetings, attending or watching practices; attending Sunday’s game; or having contact with any club personnel except to arrange off-site medical treatment or rehabilitation. He would be reinstated Monday.
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