The words “boat trip” may still haunt New York Giants fans. After the 2016 regular season, the Giants’ receiving room, featuring Odell Beckham Jr., Victor Cruz, and Sterling Shepard, took a boat trip to Miami ahead of the NFC Wild Card round, which resulted in a heavy defeat. Reflecting on the infamous trip, then-Giants QB Eli Manning has criticized OBJ and company for their actions.
“Odell didn’t have a great game… (he) had a couple drops early on,” Manning said on the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast. “So, like it had nothing to do with Miami. It’s just a bad look. I don’t think they were prepared to go to Miami. They’re all on a boat in jeans and Timberlands. So, I think the boat is crazy. I think it was a last-second deal.”
Manning’s claim stems from the Giants’ 38-13 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Beckham dropped a pair of passes, including a potential first-quarter touchdown at Lambeau Field, while finishing with four catches on 12 targets for 28 yards. Rookie Sterling Shepard also had a rough game as the Giants’ offense struggled to score points, and Cruz finished with three catches for 30 yards.
While Cruz, Shepard, and Beckham have since suggested they wish they had handled things differently ahead of the playoff game, their confession has been salt in the franchise’s wound.
Furthermore, it also marked the end of a glorious era in Giants history, with OBJ traded to the Cleveland Browns in 2019 as he failed to live up to his generational potential. Similarly, fellow receiver and Super Bowl champion Victor Cruz was released after the 2017 season, ending his seven-season tenure with the team. Then, in January 2020, Eli Manning announced his retirement from the NFL.
Eli Manning gives his thoughts on the infamous Miami boat trip that Odell Beckham Jr and Co. went on before the playoff game. #bigblue
(@BussinWTB) for the full interview. pic.twitter.com/PMXMcDpwHX
— Eli Racks (@IamEliRacks) May 12, 2026
With that era coming to a close in 2020, the New York Giants have found a new franchise cornerstone in Jaxson Dart, supported by young offensive weapons like running back Cam Skattebo and wide receiver Malik Nabers. Despite a 4–13 record, many Giants fans considered the 2025 season a positive one, with Dart excelling as QB1 in his rookie year alongside these emerging stars.
The franchise also agreed with this assessment by hiring head coach John Harbaugh; the New York Giants are expected to go all-in on Jaxson Dart and Co. Additionally, there has been speculation about the New York front office bringing Odell Beckham Jr. back into the fold to provide the offense with an X-factor and veteran presence.
With OBJ’s return gaining a lot of traction among fans, his reunion with the Giants is expected to take more time, according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.
OBJ’s Giants return could wait until training camp: Report
Hence, when the Giants were rumored to be one of the suitors, the Big Blue fans were over the moon. Now adding to the excitement, head coach John Harbaugh has issued an update about when OBJ might be seen in the Giants’ blue.
“You know Odell. He’s confident. He’s working hard. He believes in himself,” Harbaugh said, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan. “I think we’ll just play it out over the next month and into training camp and see where we’re at.”
The infamous boat trip remains a painful chapter in Giants history, and Eli Manning’s candid remarks have reopened those wounds. Still, the franchise is moving forward with Dart, Skattebo, and Nabers at the helm. A potential OBJ return could be the final piece of the puzzle, though fans may have to wait until training camp for answers.
