Odell Beckham Jr. Bio
Odell Cornelious Beckham Jr. (born November 5, 1992) is an American professional football wide receiver recognized for his elite route-running, body control, and highlight-reel playmaking. Commonly known by his initials OBJ, he played college football at Louisiana State University (LSU) before being selected 12th overall by the New York Giants in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Over the course of his career, Beckham has suited up for the New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Rams, Baltimore Ravens, and Miami Dolphins, winning Super Bowl LVI with the Rams.
Across his NFL career, Beckham has earned three Pro Bowl selections, two Second-Team All-Pro honors, and the 2014 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award. He is widely regarded as one of the most recognizable wide receivers of his generation, both for his on-field production and his presence in popular culture.
Early Life and Background
Odell Cornelious Beckham Jr. was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and grew up with strong athletic influences on both sides of his family. His father, Odell Beckham Sr., was a standout running back at Marshall High School in Marshall, Texas, and went on to play running back at LSU from 1989 to 1992, later being featured in Buzz Bissinger’s book Friday Night Lights. His mother, Heather Van Norman, was a track and field athlete at LSU and ran for three national championship relay teams in 1993 before becoming the head coach of the Nicholls State University track and field team.
Beckham attended Isidore Newman School in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he was a multi-sport letterman in football, basketball, and track. In football, he lined up at wide receiver, quarterback, running back, and cornerback, finishing his senior season with 50 receptions for 1,010 yards and 19 touchdowns. On the track, he competed in sprinting and long jump events, following in his mother’s footsteps. Beckham also grew up playing soccer and considered English star David Beckham his childhood idol, though he chose to focus on his American football path.
Regarded as a four-star recruit, Beckham was rated as the No. 6 wide receiver and No. 40 overall player in the nation. He chose LSU over offers from Ole Miss, Nebraska, Tulane, and Tulsa, and played in the 2011 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
Path to Professional Football
Beckham arrived at LSU as a true freshman in 2011 and quickly contributed, starting nine of 14 games. As a sophomore in 2012, he posted 43 receptions for 713 yards, and as a junior in 2013, he formed one of the most productive wide receiver duos in college football alongside Jarvis Landry. That season, Beckham totaled 57 receptions for 1,117 yards and eight touchdowns, also excelling on special teams with 32 kickoff returns. He won the 2013 Paul Hornung Award as the most versatile player in major college football, earned First-Team All-American and First-Team All-SEC honors, and decided to forgo his senior season to enter the 2014 NFL Draft.
Selected 12th overall by the New York Giants, Beckham signed a four-year rookie contract worth $10.4 million with a $5.88 million signing bonus. He would go on to become one of the most productive rookies the league has ever seen.
Odell Beckham Jr. Career
New York Giants (2014–2018)
Hamstring injuries delayed Beckham’s debut until Week 5 of the 2014 season, but he made an immediate impact. He finished his rookie year with 91 receptions, 1,305 receiving yards, and 12 touchdowns in just 12 games, earning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and a Pro Bowl selection. His November 23, 2014 one-handed touchdown catch against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football became one of the most iconic plays in NFL history, and his game-worn jersey from that night was placed on display at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Beckham followed with career highs of 1,450 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns in 2015, another Pro Bowl year. In 2016, he became the fastest player in NFL history to reach both 200 career receptions and 4,000 career receiving yards, recorded his first 100-reception season, and helped the Giants to an 11–5 record and a playoff appearance. A fractured ankle limited him to four games in 2017, but he returned in 2018 to record 77 receptions, 1,052 yards, and six touchdowns while signing a five-year, $95 million contract extension.
Cleveland Browns (2019–2021)
Acquired by the Cleveland Browns in March 2019, Beckham posted strong production despite quarterback instability, surpassing 1,000 receiving yards for the fifth time in his career in 2019. In 2020, he started the year explosively with a three-touchdown performance against the Dallas Cowboys, but suffered a torn ACL in Week 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals, ending his season. After being excused from practices and amid a public dispute over his usage in the offense, the Browns released Beckham in November 2021.
Los Angeles Rams (2021)
Beckham signed with the Los Angeles Rams in November 2021 and immediately contributed, scoring five touchdowns in eight regular-season games. In the playoffs, he caught his first career postseason touchdown in the Wild Card round and posted nine receptions for 113 yards in the NFC Championship Game win over the San Francisco 49ers. In Super Bowl LVI against the Cincinnati Bengals, Beckham caught a 17-yard touchdown to open the scoring, but suffered a torn ACL in the second quarter. The Rams held on to win 23–20, giving Beckham his first Super Bowl championship.
Baltimore Ravens (2023)
After missing the 2022 season while rehabbing his second ACL tear, Beckham signed a one-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens in April 2023. He appeared in 14 games with six starts, recording 35 receptions for 565 yards and three touchdowns. His 116-yard performance against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 11 was his first 100-yard receiving game since 2021. The Ravens released him in March 2024.
Miami Dolphins (2024)
Beckham signed a one-year contract with the Miami Dolphins in May 2024, but began the season on the reserve/PUP list following surgery. He was activated in October and played in nine games, totaling nine catches for 55 yards, before the Dolphins mutually agreed to waive him in December 2024.
Driving Style and Strengths
Beckham built his reputation on elite body control, strong hands, and the ability to make contested catches look routine. His acceleration in and out of breaks made him a constant threat on intermediate routes, while his explosiveness after the catch turned short gains into substantial plays. He was equally effective as a punt returner, and his football intelligence allowed him to contribute trick plays and on-field adjustments throughout his career.
Notable Events and Milestones
Beckham’s one-handed touchdown catch against the Dallas Cowboys in 2014, his Pro Bowl selections from 2014 to 2016, and his Super Bowl LVI victory with the Los Angeles Rams stand as the defining moments of his career. He also became the fastest player in NFL history to reach 200 career receptions and 4,000 career receiving yards in 2016, was voted the youngest cover athlete in Madden NFL history in 2015, and partnered with Drew Brees to set a then-world record for one-handed catches in a minute.
Odell Beckham Jr. Career Wins
Over the course of his NFL career, Odell Cornelious Beckham Jr. has accumulated 575 receptions, 7,987 receiving yards, and 59 receiving touchdowns across his stints with the New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Rams, Baltimore Ravens, and Miami Dolphins. His most celebrated victory came as a member of the Los Angeles Rams, who defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 23–20 in Super Bowl LVI to give Beckham his first championship ring.
Team and Playoff Highlights
Beckham helped the New York Giants reach the playoffs for the first time since 2011 with an 11–5 record in 2016, though the team fell to the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card Round. With the Los Angeles Rams, he contributed to NFC Championship and Super Bowl victories, and he earned First-Team All-Pro and All-SEC college honors at LSU.
Other Performances
Beyond the NFL, Beckham won the 2013 Paul Hornung Award, was a First-Team All-American, and was named First-Team All-SEC in his final college season.
Odell Beckham Jr. Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Odell Cornelious Beckham Jr. comes from a deeply athletic family. His father, Odell Beckham Sr., played running back at LSU from 1989 to 1992, while his mother, Heather Van Norman, was a national champion sprinter and long jumper at LSU before coaching track and field at Nicholls State University. Beckham has a younger brother and a younger sister, and his brother Kordell Beckham became the winner of Love Island USA season 6 in 2024.
Personal Life
Beckham welcomed his first child, a son, with his then-partner Lauren Wood on February 17, 2022. He is a Christian and was baptized in the Jordan River in the summer of 2018. Beckham has been involved in charitable work supporting cancer research, Hurricane Harvey relief, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and he signed a five-year, $25 million endorsement deal with Nike in 2017, the largest NFL endorsement contract at the time.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 NFL season did not feature Odell Cornelious Beckham Jr. in game action. He was suspended for six games in October 2025 for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. He had previously been released by the Miami Dolphins in December 2024 and entered 2025 as a free agent.
On April 20, 2026, Beckham worked out for the New York Giants, the team that originally drafted him. He officially re-signed with the Giants on June 1, 2026, reuniting him with head coach John Harbaugh, under whom he had previously played in Baltimore in 2023. The move marked a return to the franchise where his NFL career began.
Looking ahead, Beckham’s outlook will depend on his health, conditioning, and ability to carve out a role in a crowded New York wide receiver room. With his championship experience and proven playmaking ability, the Giants are expected to use him in a specialized offensive role while he continues to rebuild his game after multiple major injuries.
