Getty Images Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. of the Los Angeles Rams.
The Cleveland Browns will be at home for the postseason, while Odell Beckham Jr. and the Rams are playoff-bound.
Along with winning their final two games, the Browns need both the Bengals and Ravens to lose on Sunday. The Rams did their job, taking down the Ravens on a late touchdown pass from Stafford to Beckham.
However, the Bengals were able to storm back against the Chiefs, claiming the AFC North title on a last-second field goal. A Chargers win against the Broncos later in the day sealed the Browns’ already razor-thin chances of making the postseason.
After the Browns’ fate was sealed, Marla Ridenour of the Akron Beacon Journal tweeted:
“Wonder if all that Browns locker room love for [Odell Beckham Jr.] some kind of karma here.”
The tweet caught Beckham’s attention and he responded.
“It’s just Love! There is no Karma! Karma is for unjust,” Beckham wrote.
Beckham Says he Was ‘Deprived’ With Browns
Beckham’s move to the Rams has resulted in some increased production, most notably in the touchdown department. His game-winning touchdown grab against the Ravens was his fifth in seven games. Now, Beckham is only two away from matching his total from his entire stint of two and a half seasons in Cleveland.
Beckham recently made some comments about his new home with the Rams, appearing to shade the Browns.
“It’s been great,” Beckham told ESPN Rams reporter Lindsey Thiry. “Over the last couple of years, I’ve felt deprived. I’ve definitely missed the end zone for sure, and it just hasn’t been as easy and seamless as it could and should be. I’m someone who I feel like I should score once or twice every single game. I feel like I can get 100 yards every single game.”
Beckham took to Twitter to dispel any sense of the quote was “shade” towards his former team.
“Zero shade,” Beckham tweeted. “Don’t have anything but love in my heart. God is good, im just thankful …. No story here.”
Beckham’s Exit From Cleveland Was Messy
It was clear Beckham wanted a new home at the trade deadline, although his then hefty contract made it tough for any contending team to trade for him. After the deadline passed, a series of unfortunate events eventually led to his release.
His dad, Odell Beckham Sr., posted a video on the day of the NFL trade deadline showing all the times Mayfield missed on throws. He also went into the comment section and further trashed Mayfield, even commenting on his contract situation. Prominent athletes like LeBron James fired up the hashtag #FreeOdell and the Browns were not left with much of a choice.
The team held out Beckham from practice for a few days before eventually releasing him after renegotiating his deal. The situation was tough or the locker room to deal with, as many of the players — most notably veteran wide receiver Jarvis Landry — had strong ties to Beckham.
Much of the backlash hit quarterback Baker Mayfield, who admitted this week that avoiding the criticism has been different this year because it came from inside the locker room.
“I would say yes, but only because some of that drama earlier in the year was within the building, and it was not just directly outside,” Mayfield said on Thursday, December 30, seemingly hinting at the issues with Beckham. “We had to handle a few things internally, and that is OK. We did that, and now we are here so that is what matters.”
The Browns still have a chance to finish the season with a winning record if they take home victories in their final two games against the Steelers and Bengals.
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