The last time Odell Beckham Jr. played in an NFL regular season game before Sunday night was two years ago for the Miami Dolphins.
At the time, OBJ was a shell of his former self.
Injuries have taken a toll on the former superstar as his career has gone on, and they seemed to even end it.
That was 2024, and Beckham didn’t suit up for an NFL game in 2025.
This season, though, he’s back. Beckham signed with the New York Giants, his original team, in the offseason. And then he won a battle for a roster spot.
When they open the season on Sunday night against the Dallas Cowboys, Beckham will be part of the action. It just remains to be seen how much of the action.
Is Odell Beckham Jr. Playing Tonight?
Beckham is healthy and active, which is the best the Giants can ask for.
His snap count expectations are a whole different story, though.
Beckham doesn’t rank highly on the Giants’ WR depth chart. Malik Nabers tops it as the clear No. 1, but that’s not all.
Most indications would suggest that new guy Darnell Mooney and talented rookie Malachi Fields are also both ahead of Beckham.
That doesn’t mean that OBJ won’t see the field — he likely will. It just means that his overall target share will be much lower than it was the last time he was in a Giants uniform.
There’s a reason teams didn’t sign Beckham in the last year-plus, and it’s logical that the team that eventually brought him back was the one team that would have a good nostalgia factor.
Even with an inexperienced receiver room, it’s unlikely the Dolphins are missing Beckham much at the moment.
It’s still going to be fascinating to see how his time back with the Giants goes. There’ll be a lot of eyes watching.
OBJ Timeline from Dolphins to Giants
Everyone remembers Beckham’s original five-year stint with the Giants.
He then followed that with two-plus years with the Cleveland Browns before a half season with the Los Angeles Rams (that ended in a Super Bowl).
Beckham was hurt and didn’t play in 2022 before joining the Baltimore Ravens for 14 games in 2023.
In 2024, Beckham latched on with the Dolphins. In nine games, he caught nine total passes for 55 yards.
The Dolphins waived Beckham in December 2024. He didn’t get a contract for the entirety of 2025, not even preseason or practice squad or anything.
Beckham tried some other things, including a bit of flag football, before returning to the Giants with a contract on June 1.
Given that the last time he played was two years ago, and not particularly well for the Dolphins, the Giants can’t be expecting much from the 33 year old.
But yeah, he’s still OBJ. There was still a magic around him even as he traversed to minor stints with the Ravens and Dolphins.
It’s more fitting that his career ends in New York than in Miami, just for the nostalgia if nothing else.
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