New York Giants' Odell Beckham Jr. making effort to silence outside distractions

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- On the field, New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. might be all about flash and dash, but the third-year receiver wants people to know that he's just as devoted to perfecting his craft as anyone in the league.

That's why Beckham, who has been in high demand ever since he burst onto the scene with his one-handed catch during a nationally televised game in his rookie season, turned down an opportunity to participate in the last season of ABC TV's "Dancing with the Stars."

In an interview earlier this week with WFAN's Mike Francesa, Beckham reiterated that he's trying to manage the external distractions in his life that can easily send what's most important to him--his budding football career--off the rails.

"Dancing with the Stars was an opportunity to do, and I would love to do it," Beckham told Francesa. "But I don't want to do that and have (media, fans, critics) ready for the excuse that if anything were to happen this season, it's like, 'Oh, he's too focused on what he's doing in the outside world and his fame.'

"I had 'fame' tatted on me my freshman year in college: 'forgive all my enemies,' or 'forget all my enemies.'"

Beckham has previously spoken about the increased interest in his off-field life. Earlier this year, he's drawn attention for having socialized with reality television star Khloe Kardashian at a party. He has also draw attention for living the high life in Los Angeles, where he crashed with rap star Drake while doing his workouts on the West Coast.

"At the end of the day, (football) is my sanctuary-- this is where I come and I feel free. This is my getaway from all the outside distraction that this world provides. This is the only place where I can't be bothered or... I'm really just free when I get out here. I feel like a kid again," Beckham said back in June.

Still, there's that price to pay for being able to live life in his sanctuary, and that is life in a fish bowl.

"I live this life every day. This is not a joke to me. I don't like when I feel as if my life has been made a mockery of. You just try to walk this fine line. On the field is the only place I have control," he told Francesca.

"This is the most honest I can be: I'm trying to play football until the wheels fall off. For me, football is everything. All that stuff that goes on outside of football is almost a distraction to keep myself to not think about football all the time. Football has made me who I am today ... All I care about is football, really."