Von Miller and Odell Beckham Jr. had a plan to team up while training last offseason but the Cleveland Browns were never the intended destination.
Both Miller and Beckham were still under contract heading into this season — Beckham with the Browns and Miller with the Broncos. The Rams traded for Miller in November, while Beckham would join later as a free agent after a brutal breakup with the Browns. The duo has now seen their dream become a reality and is one win from playing in the Super Bowl.
Miller had wondered if the same reality could have happened in Cleveland but Beckham advised against it, per Greg Bishop of Sports Illustrated.
“Don’t come to Cleveland,” Miller says Beckham told him.
The Browns disappointed this season, finishing 8-9 and missing the playoffs. However, that would have been strange advice a year ago, with Cleveland appearing to be on the way up after a playoff victory, which came with Beckham sidelined due to injury.
Beckham Accused of Orchestrating Exit From Browns
Beckham was criticized for his departure from Cleveland appearing to be orchestrated. He had prominent athletes like LeBron James tweeting #FreeOdell once the trade deadline passed with no action and his father went on the offensive via social media with scathing criticism of quarterback Baker Mayfield.
“Come on. I don’t think it’s an accident that both LeBron James and his father said what they had to say today,” Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk told 92.3 The Fan. “I think it was an orchestrated effort to try to bring this to a head.”
Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports had a similar sentiment on how things ended in Cleveland.
“Zero doubt this is Odell having thrown up the bat signal. It’s unfortunate for people inside the Browns that have tried to make this work and want to do everything to get away from this type of stuff,” Robinson tweeted. “Today’s events just feel like a softened version of the Lil Wayne interview.”
Robinson is referencing the very awkward interview Beckham did with ESPN in 2018, in which he talked about his dissatisfaction with the Giants’ offense with rapper Lil Wayne by his side. He was dealt from the Giants in 2019 to Cleveland.
Beckham Says No Ill-Will Toward Browns
It’s clear something just didn’t click for Beckham with the Browns, with the polarizing pass-catcher failing to get on the same page with quarterback Baker Mayfield. Beckham dealt with injuries and his 29-game tenure with Cleveland ended with just 114 catches for 1,586 and seven touchdowns.
Beckham has found success in his new home with the Rams, catching six touchdowns in 10 games, showing off some of the explosion that made him a sensation during his days with the Giants. He caused some waves in Cleveland when he said he’d been “deprived” in Cleveland.
“It’s been great,” Beckham told ESPN Rams reporter Lindsey Thiry on Dec. 31. “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 responded to the allegations that he was taking a shot at the Browns, writing on Twitter: “Zero shade. Don’t have anything but love in my heart. God is good, im just thankful …. No story here.”
@923TheFan Zero shade…. Don’t have anything but love in my heart. God is good, im just thankful …. No story here
While Beckham can say what he wants now, it appears his exit from Cleveland was plotted from the get-go.
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Odell Beckham Told Top-Tier Defender to Avoid Browns