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Odell Beckham: Refs said I’d be thrown out if I did anything

Washington Redskins v New York Giants

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - SEPTEMBER 25: Odell Beckham #13 of the New York Giants runs after a catch against Josh Norman #24 of the Washington Redskins during their game at MetLife Stadium on September 25, 2016 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

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The Odell Beckham-Josh Norman rematch started with officials talking to both players before the game to tell them to be on their best behavior and the game unfolded without any scrapes between the two men.

Beckham did wind up with a bruise under his right eye, although that appeared to come from a kicking net on the sideline that reacted to a shot by Beckham by bouncing back to hit him in the head. Beckham, who was flagged for offensive pass interference late in the game, said he didn’t remember how he got the welt after the game, but did recall what the officials said to him before the 29-27 Redskins victory.

“Today, they came up before the game and said, ‘If you do anything we’re throwing you out of the game.’ That was before the game,” Beckham said, via NJ.com. “There was no, ‘You get a warning.’ There wasn’t any of that. You’ve just got to be on your best behavior. Unfortunately, this is what we’ve come to. It’s not really football any more as much as it is all of the other things that play into it. ... Today, I think we did a great job making it a lot about football even though there were a lot of outside implications that went on that kind of predetermined the matchup before it happened instead of letting us play football like we’ve done our entire lives.”

Norman said that officials told him not to make a “mockery” of the game, but didn’t say if they laid down the same zero tolerance message. He picked up a personal foul for hitting Giants receiver Sterling Shepard in the head when he was protected as a defenseless receiver. Norman was not penalized for grabbing Beckham and carrying him for a few steps on a first quarter play.

Norman and Beckham met on the field after the game and shared a hug. We’ll see if that detente holds for the second Redskins-Giants game this season.