Getty Images Odell Beckham Jr. of the Cleveland Browns.
Odell Beckham Jr. has been fairly quiet since suffering a season-ending injury in October, but the Browns star pass-catcher broke his silence with a social media post on Tuesday revealing his feelings on some recent struggles.
Beckham was traded to the Browns during the 2019 offseason, but things haven’t gone as planned for the three-time Pro Bowler. He played through injury nearly all of last season and struggled to integrate into the Freddie Kitchens-led offense.
Despite breaking the 1,000-yard barrier last season, Beckham did not live up to the wild expectations set for him. He finished his first season in Cleveland with 1,035 yards and four touchdowns.
After rehabbing relentlessly in the offseason, Beckham seemed to find a role in the Browns offense under new head coach Kevin Stefanski, albeit Cleveland transformed into a run-heavy attack.
Odell Beckham rehabbing the knee injury via his IG #Browns
Before the injury, Beckham had 23 catches on 43 targets for 319 yards and three touchdowns, also adding a rushing score. However, the ACL tear against the Bengals on Oct. 25 ended his year abruptly.
Beckham penned a post on Tuesday showing off some of his rehab, admitting things haven’t been easy for him since landing in Cleveland.
“Ima be honest,” he wrote. “I been thru hell these last couple years n I just keep it pushin… this [expletive] ain’t for errbody!”
Odell Beckham’s Future in Cleveland Uncertain
GettyOdell Beckham Jr. of the Cleveland Browns.
There has been a lot of talk about Beckham’s future in Cleveland because he is owed a base salary of at least $13.75 million each year until he’s a free agent in 2023. But Browns general manager Andrew Berry had a sharp response when asked about Beckham’s future in Cleveland
“I feel like this is a question I’ve literally addressed every week since I took the job,” Berry said, via Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. “So really at this point in time, I really don’t see a difference.
“Honestly, our focus with Odell, Odell is one of the best receivers in the NFL,” he said. “He played really good football for us before he was injured. He’s done a fantastic job with his teammates at practice, he’s embraced the organization, he’s under contract for multiple years. So our focus with Odell is making sure he recovers from the ACL tear. We want him to be healthy and ready to go next year. But we’re pleased with him.”
That being said, it’s impossible to avoid the OBJ trade chatter, which has run rampant since he became a star in New York. Expect more to come as Beckham gets healthier for the 2021-22 season.
Odell Beckham Getting Help From Adrian Peterson
Beckham has a good support system as he works to get back into form following the injury. Among those in his corner is Lions running back Adrian Peterson, who is helping multiple high-profile NFL stars as they rehab from ACL injuries.
Peterson tore his ACL and MCL in his left knee in 2011, but came back the next season and ran for 2,097 yards and 12 touchdowns. He said that he’s been in touch with Beckham — as well as Bengals QB Joe Burrow and Giants running back Saquon Barkley — to show support on the road to recover.
“To be that poster child for [ACL recovery] is what I envisioned,” Peterson told TMZ. “Because now people, they look at it, and they say, ‘You know what? I can do that. I’ll be able to come back.’
“I’ve always had the mindset of not allowing the world to box you in — not allowing what other ones might see as hard or impossible,” Peterson added. “Don’t let that box you in where you can’t open your mind to realize that we are incredible human beings that God has possessed with the ability to do some amazing things if we are able to allow our minds to go outside the box and do the impossible.”
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