Giants' Stewart has contract advice for Odell Beckham Jr.

Stewart had his contract restructured under GM Dave Gettleman in Carolina

6/18/2018, 7:00 PM
Jonathan Stewart (28) Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports / Jeremy Brevard
Jonathan Stewart (28) Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports / Jeremy Brevard

Giants RB Jonathan Stewart has an idea of the conversations star WR Odell Beckham Jr. will have regarding his highly-anticipated contract extension with GM Dave Gettleman. He's been there before. 

While playing with the Panthers under Gettleman, Stewart saw his five-year, $36.5 million contract he signed in 2012 get restructured three times (2013, 2014, 2017). And during this process, Stewart knew that it was simply business done by Gettleman to help the team. 

So, Stewart's advice to Beckham is to continue working hard, and to only control the things he can control. 

"My experience is it's all business at the end of the day," he told NJ.com's Ryan Dunleavy. "I understand that wherever you go, whether you work at McDonald's or are the CEO of McDonald's. Or the Giants. 

"As long as you keep that mindset and control what you can control, take it from there and do you job, you will be rewarded. If other things happen, it's out of your control."

During his time with the Panthers, Gettleman was known to have rocky relationships with some of the team's veterans like Steve Smith and D'Angelo Williams. However, Stewart never had an issue with him, and it shows as he followed him to the Giants this season. 

"I can't speak on that," Stewart said. "He's built a Super Bowl-conteding team. He knows what he's doing from that perspective. He's given me a shot. Whenever someone can believe in me out of millions of other people, that says a lot. I support him 100 percent."

Though Beckham's contract is at the forefront of the Giants' agenda this offseason, Gettleman's focus must be pulled toward his recent diagnosis of lymphoma. The entire Giants organization has been in his corner since the announcement of the illness, and with Gettleman saying "prognosis is positive," Stewart knows he will be fighting this with everything he's got. 

"Dave Gettleman is a fighter," Stewart said. "His mentality and his approach with everything has been upbeat and positive. That's inspiring to see. 

"Whenever someone faces adversity -- especially this type of adversity where it's life-threatening -- it's inspiring to watch how a person naturally goes into 'I'm going to fight this.' We support him 100 percent. Without him, I wouldn't be able to support my family the way I want to."

So, while the Giants stay in communication with Gettleman as he fights his cancer, Beckham's contract will need to be answered down the road.The 25-year-old receiver is obviously one of the best in the NFL, and Stewart sees a little of his former Carolina teammate in Beckham now that he has an up-close look at him in practice. 

"Obviously one of the most freakishly talented athletic people I've ever seen touch a football," Stewart said. "The routes he is running are very amazing. Steve Smith is one of those guys that come to mind as far as a guy who is a savage on the field. Odell definitely has that."

Beckham has said that he won't holdout when camp begins July 25 in the midst of his contraction situation.


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