Brad Wing gives account of pre-game threats by Panthers to Odell Beckham Jr.

New York Giants punter Brad Wing is Odell Beckham Jr.'s closest friend on the New York Giants. He was also the closest player to Beckham Sunday when all of the pre-game threats were apparently made by the Carolina Panthers. Here is what Wing told reporters on Wednesday.

Wing's take

Giants P Brad Wing said bat-wielding Panther threatened Odell Beckham saying "I'll be the reason you don't play today ... And other days."

— Ralph Vacchiano (@RVacchianoNYDN) December 23, 2015

Wing said he doesn't remember hearing any homophobic slurs. He said Beckham was definitely shaken by the pre game encounter.

— Ralph Vacchiano (@RVacchianoNYDN) December 23, 2015

Wing characterized it as "a legitimate threat" that started when Beckham offered his hand and the bat-wielding Panther refused to shake it.

— Ralph Vacchiano (@RVacchianoNYDN) December 23, 2015

Brad Wing says Odell has communicated to him that he has endured anti gay comments this season. Hadn't happened before this season

— Ebenezer Samuel (@ebenezersamuel) December 23, 2015

Brad Wing says nobody from league has asked for his take on the incident #Giants

— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) December 23, 2015

Brad Wing: "I don't know if there's any disciplinary action for referee but I think they at least need a talking to."

— Ebenezer Samuel (@ebenezersamuel) December 23, 2015

Brad Wing on pre-game: "After the game putting all the pieces together it may have had an impact in the way Odell was acting.''

— Paul Schwartz (@NYPost_Schwartz) December 23, 2015

Brad Wing on Norman body-slam: "The officials made it clear they didn’t want to control it or didn’t have any control over it.''

— Paul Schwartz (@NYPost_Schwartz) December 23, 2015

Brad Wing said Odell has heard gay rumors since Tampa Bay game. Said they stem from photo or vid of Odell w/ arm around TB LB Kwon Alexander

— Ebenezer Samuel (@ebenezersamuel) December 23, 2015

Brad Wing on how much slurs bugged Odell: "If you knew Odell the way I knew Odell, that comment right there would never bother him at all."

— Ebenezer Samuel (@ebenezersamuel) December 23, 2015

Reactions

Main takeaway: Forget pregame, the bat, alleged slurs. Sticking point for Beckham and Giants was OBJ takedown on 5th play of game #Giants

— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) December 23, 2015

2 big takeaways: what was an opposing player doing on Giants' side of field w/ bat yelling at Beckham + why Norman slam wasn't called by ref

— Art Stapleton (@art_stapleton) December 23, 2015

What I don't get is why the league didn't ask for Wing's firsthand account.

— Patricia Traina (@Patricia_Traina) December 23, 2015

Not one Giants player I spoke to in the locker room today attempted to justify Odell Beckham Jr.'s helmet-to-helmet foul on Josh Norman.

— Art Stapleton (@art_stapleton) December 23, 2015

From Carolina

Meanwhile, a very uncharacteristically muted Josh Norman said very little today about situation with Odell Beckham.

— Joe Person (@josephperson) December 23, 2015

Asked if he or Panthers made any anti-gay comments to Odell Beckham, Josh Norman said: "I don't know what you're talking about."

— Joe Person (@josephperson) December 23, 2015

Marcus Ball on Wing's allegations he'd end Odell's career: "If I had a dollar for all ex girlfriends that had false allegations about me..."

— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) December 23, 2015