Beckham addresses effort criticism: 'My heart can never be questioned'

New York Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is drawing criticism after he appeared to hesitate rather than dive on an onside kick late in Sunday's game.

Chicago Bears tight end Daniel Brown recovered the kick with just over a minute remaining in regulation, allowing Chicago to tie the game and send it to overtime - before losing 30-27.

Despite the Giants coming away with the victory, Beckham's effort on the onside kick is what's attracting attention.

"It was a great kick. Sometimes somebody makes a better play than you do," Beckham said after the game, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN. "I could dive in there and still not get the ball. So it was a very tough call. Nobody should ever question my effort or my heart. That's the last thing you can do. You can question me as a person, as a man, whatever you want to do, but my heart and my effort can never be questioned, ever."

The receiver believes the failed recovery was due to a miscommunication with the first line of the hands team rather than any hesitation on his part.

"Honestly, when it took the hop, the guys on the front line kind of looked like we were in a position where we didn't know if they were going to get it," Beckham said. "If they wanted me to go get it and I was just so far back when they passed the ball, I was trying to run up there and get in the mix and I got to it late."

Beckham finished the game with three catches, 35 yards, and one touchdown. He also threw his second touchdown pass of the season on a 49-yard toss to Russell Shepard early in the third quarter.

The three-time Pro Bowler has hauled in 77 passes for 1,052 yards and six touchdowns this season.