In an interview with Bleacher Report, Washington Redskins cornerback Josh Norman didn’t hold back on his rivals in the NFC East.
Norman slammed both Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant and New York Giants wideout Odell Beckham Jr., saying Bryant was ’just a guy’ while calling Beckham ’a kid.’
The Redskins cornerback said each player acts tough, but they really aren’t.
“He’s trying to be a tough guy and that’s not him,” Norman said of Bryant. “That’s not how you play ball. The media really created this ’talk trash’ with me. I don’t really talk to these guys. They’re talking to themselves. I just play them. And then they get a little snippet of me having a conversation with them and blast it on ESPN.”
On Beckham, Norman added: “He tries to be a tough guy. He tries to put on this persona which he’s not. … He does things that he normally wouldn’t do because of all the pressure and added hype that he has to put on his whole persona. He’s not this guy.”
Norman has had confrontations with Bryant and Beckham in the past. Last season, Norman and Bryant traded barbs during and after the Cowboys-Redskins game in Week 12. Bryant then went after Norman on Twitter.
With Beckham, the two have had a long history dating back to Norman’s playing days with the Carolina Panthers. Beckham drew four penalties against Norman in a 2015 game and the two have had a rivalry ever since.
Norman said Beckham is a “person who’s actually not what they’re made out to be” once the game gets physical.
Beckham faced similar criticism after an incident with Minnesota Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes last season. Beckham responded in frustration by attacking a kicker’s net during the Vikings game.
“When people get physical, tough, like the Minnesota game, he acts out,” Norman said. “He’s a kid. He’s a big kid, man.”
As for Bryant, Norman thought the Cowboys receiver’s game has declined over the years. He said Bryant doesn’t “wow” him anymore.
“Dez was Dez in 2012, ’13, ’14,” Norman said. “Maybe ’14. Now? He’s a guy.”
Norman will face each Bryant and Beckham twice in the season since they play in the NFC East, and that hasn’t gone unnoticed by Norman.
“Trust me when I tell you, it’s going to be bad blood this year,” Norman said. “You think the NFC East didn’t like each other before? This year right here? There’s going to be a lot of fines and maybe some suspensions.”
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.