For the first time since 2018, Odell Beckham Jr. is back on the New York Giants’ 53-man roster heading into the regular season.
Beckham Jr. earned his spot on the roster despite remaining unsigned in the 2025 season, where he also served a six-game suspension. Beckham Jr. last played for the Miami Dolphins in 2024, but now he’s back on the team where he had the most success.
However, the Giants are a very different team from when Beckham Jr. was last with New York. Among those changes is the team’s quarterback. In 2026, the team expects big things out of last year’s first-round pick Jaxson Dart, who started 12 games for the Giants last season. Now, the second-year quarterback has shared his thoughts on Beckham Jr. making the team.
New York Giants Quarterback Jaxson Dart Shares True Feelings on Odell Beckham Jr.
After practice, Jaxson Dart was asked about playing with Beckham Jr. The New York Giants quarterback said, “I would say it’s pretty nostalgic. Just, as a kid, that’s like an icon, in a way where you feel like he changed the game a little bit. You’re in your backyard as a young kid, talking about, ‘Odell,’ when you catch it one hand, or just things like that. So, that part, it’s a really cool experience.”
Dart added, “From a player standpoint, really just proud of him. He came in here, he earned it. He got better each and every week, and he’s playing his best ball since he got here right now, from just alignment, assignment, playing fast, getting open, making plays. So, really proud of him, and just the dedication that he’s put in to get into this point. And he’s a great teammate as well. So, there’s a lot that we, as younger guys, can learn from him. And he’s still a great player.”
As Dart mentioned, Beckham Jr. got better as training camp went along, which included an impressive end to the preseason. While expecting Beckham Jr. to return to his old Giants self is unrealistic, hopefully the former Pro Bowl wide receiver can be a meaningful contributor for the Giants in 2026.
Odell Beckham Jr. Back on the Giants
Meanwhile, Odell Beckham Jr. also spoke on what making the Giants roster meant to him.
He told reporters, “Man, it’s everything. God had a plan for me. The last two years I talked to y’all about just the spiritual journey that I’ve been on. The growth, the humility. Kind of walking through life over the last two years – a bit of hardships, with myself feeling, just wasn’t where I wanted to be. And now being able to be here, to walk in here, I remember coming here to practice and seeing the ’86, the ’90, the 2007 (and) ’11 banners. And I was like, ‘Man, I just want to bring one here.’ And I think you’ll always hear me talk about it. I feel like no matter what team you’re on, that’s the goal. Nobody’s playing just to play – you all want to win. So, that was kind of the message I had to the group. It’s like, it’s one thing to get here”
Giants QB Jaxson Dart Shares True Feelings on Odell Beckham Jr.