As free agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. looks to sign with a new team for his ninth NFL season, his latest viral soundbite sure doesn’t sound the kind of thing that an eager applicant comes right out and says as he’s interviewing for a new job.
But hold your outrage for a moment. There’s more to what Beckham said. And it changes how his answer really sounds.
Beckham was a featured guest on this week’s edition of The Shop, part of Amazon Prime’s Thursday Night Football programming. He joined the show hot on the heels of several highly-publicized visits to the Giants, Bills, and Cowboys.
The receiver’s ACL, which he tore in February’s Super Bowl, has been the subject of intense scrutiny and speculation as he nears the apparent end of his rehab. The Cowboys made it clear that, if they were to sign the three-time Pro Bowler, they would expect him to contribute before the regular season is complete before continuing on with the team for a playoff run.
He left Dallas without a contract offer Tuesday; the Cowboys supposedly voiced concerns internally that Beckham would not be ready to play before mid-January, that signing him now would actually be a move for 2023.
Linebacker Micah Parsons seemed to confirm that timetable, revealing that Beckham told him that he could be ready to play “in five weeks.”
Thursday night, the 30-year-old was asked point-blank on The Shop if he was ready to play and if he had made up his mind about where he’d like to play next.
Beckham’s answer quickly set the internet on fire.
"I'm not saying I couldn't step in and play regular season, but I don't see the point."@obj talks more about his playing future this season.
đ: @Raiders vs. @RamsNFL#TNFonPrime | Watch #TNFinTheShop NOW on @PrimeVideo pic.twitter.com/RKGJrbsrq6
— NFL On Prime Video (@NFLonPrime) December 9, 2022
“I haven’t made the decision,” Beckham said. “And for me, it’s like, I would like to be in a stable environment- get up at 6 a.m., leave at 6 p.m.- for four weeks. And then let’s talk about it. I’ve played football for a long time. I’m not saying that I couldn’t step in and play regular season, but I don’t see the point. I really don’t. I would rather play when that pressure’s on. I’d rather play when the lights are on.”
That’s the quote that made the rounds Friday morning. And if that were the whole sum of Beckham’s answer on the subject, then yes, it sounds like he wants to simply coast in after the 53-man roster has done the hard work for four-plus months and soak up the spotlight of the postseason.
It’s worth noting that Beckham’s answer does suggest he’s looking for a locker room and a city to truly call home. He has maintained that he wants a multi-year deal, and he’s made no bones about the fact that the money has to be right before he puts pen to paper.
But should any team back up the Brinks truck for Beckham as a rented mercenary just for four weeks (at most) of sudden-death football?
Given the choice, most NFL players would probably prefer to skip the long grind of the regular season and jump right to the playoffs. Why waste all those Sunday afternoons from September through December when you can just step in for the postseason tournament, when every matchup is against an elite opponent, when everyone’s watching, and when every game is larger than life?
But here’s the thing. That wasn’t all Beckham said.
He kept going.
“I went through the whole playoffs, and after having my first bad playoff experience, all I was ready for was to clear that off my name, as if I can’t perform, you know what I mean? No, I’m ready,” the former first-round draft pick continued.
“So for me, I need some time. I would like to work, go in there and learn the playbook, ramp up to play football. You know, you can go through training camp, do whatever. That first game of the season? Five plays in, you’re [breathing hard]. You know what I’m saying? You can’t get into football shape without having those games. There’s nothing that can bring that same response out of your body.”
In that fuller context, Beckham doesn’t sound like a prima donna looking to swoop in simply for a larger slice of the postseason glory. He sounds like a player who’s experienced playoff success and wants to replicate it, but he knows he suffered a difficult injury and hasn’t played at full speed in over ten months.
Taken at his word, Beckham would like to forego the pressure of suiting up and tentatively running half-learned routes in Week 17 and 18 games and instead, really know his new offense’s playbook cold so he can make a meaningful impact in the do-or-die postseason… and then beyond.
The irony is, Beckham made these comments just moments before Baker Mayfield led the Rams to an improbable come-from-behind victory only 48 hours after meeting his new team for the very first time.
But come spring, Mayfield will likely find himself shopping for a new team once again. Just like Beckham is now, after his own late-season stint wearing Rams’ horns.
Before leaving the Amazon broadcast, Beckham hinted that he knew in his own mind which team he’s hoping to join.
But he feigned not being able to hear the question, blaming phantom technical difficulties as the show went to commercial break.
So the drama continues.
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