Getty Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
Between injuries, lack of production and rampant rumors about being disgruntled, it’s been an interesting year for Cleveland Browns star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
But Beckham had a message for his haters on social media in advance of the Browns penultimate game of the season.
“I know [one] thing…I’ll always get the last laugh. Betta beluhhdatt,” Beckham wrote on an Instagram post.
Beckham has 67 catches for 910 yards and two touchdowns — low by his lofty standards and considering what was predicted when he was paired with Browns second-year quarterback Baker Mayfield. He has two more games to break the 1,000-yard mark for the fifth time in his career.
The slowed production might have caused a ruckus back in New York, but Beckham has shown off a new mentality since landing in Cleveland in the offseason, focusing only on what he can control. Despite enduring a tough stretch with his new squad, OBJ’s shifted mindset has helped him deal with it.
“I just want to do any and everything possible to help this team in any kind of way. When I do get the ball, I am going to try and make the most of it. If I do not get it, I am just going to keep running the routes as hard as possible,” Beckham said. “I do not think it is anything intentional. I think teams have played a certain way and they have done some things to keep me from getting the ball. It is on everybody.”
Odell Beckham Says Browns Situation ‘Too Special’ to Leave
In a long overdue statement, Beckham came out this week to shut down the rampant speculation about his future with the Browns and the multiple reports that he wanted a trade.
“It’s done. It’s old. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be here,” Beckham said Wednesday. “We’re going to figure this thing out. It’s just too special to leave.
“We’re going to be here. We’re going to do it again and we’re going to be what we felt we should have been and correct all the little mistakes and all the ‘if we would have did this…’ games. It’s just too good. I didn’t buy a house to sell it.”
At 6-8, it’s unlikely the Browns make the playoffs this season, but Beckham remained calm when talking about his future and remained hopeful for what the team could do in future seasons.
Odell Beckham Jr. on rumors he wants out: “I didn’t buy a house here to sell it”
a diverse portfolio that includes real estate is smart. He can rent that bad boy out – and one in NY, if he kept it – to future Browns/Cavs/Indians players
“I bought a house here for a reason,” Beckham said. “I called Baker (Mayfield) after I got traded, and Jarvis, and talked about the future for a reason. I don’t know if it happened last week, if it’s been this way, it hasn’t been said, but here it is. I’ll put it on the table for you.
“I’ve really turned the page and I feel so much better about where I’m at. To kind of see some of the old stuff come back, I’m just done with it.”
Beckham is under contract with the Browns until after the 2023 season, so even if he did want a trade, it’s unlikely Cleveland would budge for an asset they traded for jus an offseason ago.
Freddie Kitchens Needs Strong Finish to the Season
GettyBrowns head coach Freddie Kitchens.
While Beckham’s future is seemingly clear now, it’s not so much for first-year head coach Freddie Kitchens. It was reported that Kitchens would be safe for next season barring a massive collapse down the stretch, but a 38-24 loss to the lowly Cardinals in Week 15 where his team was massively outplayed didn’t help his cause.
Kitchens made waves after the loss, saying: “I don’t care about my future as Browns coach,” a statement he later clarified.
“I care about my job. I only care, though, about getting better today,” Kitchens told reporters. “That’s what I was trying to illustrated. I’m only focused on today. Dee and Jimmy Haslam, and John Dorsey, would much rather me worry about getting our team ready.”
The Browns are 10-point underdogs against the Ravens.