Odell Beckham Jr. facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Odell Beckham Jr.

Beckham with the Baltimore Ravens in 2023
Position:	Wide receiver
Personal information
Born:	(1992-11-05) November 5, 1992 (age 32) Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S.
Height:	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:	200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
High school:	Isidore Newman (New Orleans, Louisiana)
College:	LSU (2011–2013)
NFL Draft:	2014 / Round: 1 / Pick: 12
Career history
New York Giants (2014) Cleveland Browns (2019) Los Angeles Rams (2021) Baltimore Ravens (2023) Miami Dolphins (2024)
Career highlights and awards
Super Bowl champion (LVI) NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (2014) 2× Second-team All-Pro (2015, 2016) 3× Pro Bowl (2014–2016) PFWA All-Rookie Team (2014) Paul Hornung Award (2013) First-team All-American (2013) First-team All-SEC (2013)
Career NFL statistics as of Week 18, 2024
Receptions: 575 Receiving yards: 7,987 Receiving touchdowns: 59
Player stats at PFR

Odell Cornelious Beckham Jr. (born November 5, 1992), often called OBJ, is a professional football player. He plays as a wide receiver. He played college football for the LSU Tigers. The New York Giants picked him in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft. He has also played for the Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Rams, Baltimore Ravens, and Miami Dolphins.

Beckham started playing for LSU in 2011. He won the Paul Hornung Award in 2013. In his first season with the Giants, Beckham set many new records for rookies. He did this even though he missed the first four games because of an injury. He was the first player to have over 75 catches, 1,100 yards, and ten touchdowns in his first year. He also set a rookie record for the most receiving yards per game.

In 2014, Beckham became famous for a one-handed touchdown catch. He made this amazing catch while falling backward during a Sunday Night Football game. Many people called it the greatest catch ever. Beckham won the 2014 Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

In 2016, he became the fastest player in NFL history to reach 200 career catches and 4,000 career receiving yards. He also had his first season with 100 catches. He helped the Giants reach the NFL playoffs for the first time in his career. Beckham was chosen for the Pro Bowl in his first three seasons. He was also named a second-team All-Pro twice. After playing for the Cleveland Browns, Beckham joined the Los Angeles Rams in 2021. Beckham and the Rams won Super Bowl LVI. He did not play in 2022 because he was recovering from a knee injury he got in the Super Bowl. He then signed with the Baltimore Ravens in 2023. He left the Ravens for the Miami Dolphins in 2024. He and the Dolphins agreed to end his contract in December 2024.

Early Life and High School Sports

Beckham was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He went to Isidore Newman School in New Orleans, Louisiana. There, he was a top athlete in football, basketball, and track.

Football Star in High School

In high school football, he played many positions. He was a wide receiver, quarterback, running back, and cornerback. As a junior, he caught 45 passes for 743 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also scored three more times by running the ball. In his senior year, he had 50 catches for 1,010 yards and 19 touchdowns. He was one of only two players in his school's history to get 1,000 receiving yards in a season. He also ran for 331 yards and six touchdowns. He was named to the Louisiana 2A All-State first-team as a wide receiver.

Other Sports and Talents

Beckham played basketball for all four years of high school. He was chosen for the all-district team in his junior and senior years. He was also a great track and field athlete, just like his mother. He won a silver medal in the long jump in 2010. He also ran in the 200-meter dash and was part of relay teams.

Beckham also played soccer when he was younger. He looked up to English player David Beckham (no relation). His soccer coaches even offered him a chance to try out for a junior national team. But he chose to focus on his other sports in the U.S.

Choosing a College Team

Experts saw Beckham as a top recruit. He was ranked as one of the best wide receivers in the country. He chose to go to Louisiana State University (LSU). He also played in the 2011 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

College Football Career

Freshman Year at LSU (2011)

As a new student at LSU in 2011, Beckham started in nine games. His first college game was on September 3, 2011, against the #3 Oregon Ducks. He caught two passes for 10 yards. Later, he scored his first college touchdown against the #16 West Virginia Mountaineers. LSU won the SEC Championship. They finished the season with a 13–0 record. They played in the BCS National Championship game. Beckham had five catches for 38 yards in that game. In his first year, he had 41 catches for 475 yards and two touchdowns. He was named a freshman All-SEC player.

Sophomore Year at LSU (2012)

In 2012, Beckham started 12 games. In the first game, he scored his first college punt return touchdown. It was a 70-yard return. On September 29, he had his first game with over 100 receiving yards. He caught five passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns. Later, he had an 89-yard punt return touchdown against Ole Miss. LSU won that game 41–35. He finished the season with 713 receiving yards. He was second on the team in catches.

Junior Year at LSU (2013)

In 2013, Beckham and Jarvis Landry were a very strong wide receiver team. On August 31, he had five catches for 118 yards. This was in a win over #20 TCU. On September 7, he had five catches for 136 yards and three touchdowns. In the same game, he returned a missed field goal for a record-long 109-yard touchdown. This record was later tied by another player. On October 5, he had nine catches for 179 yards and two touchdowns. On October 26, he had a career-high 204 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Beckham was named the winner of the 2013 Paul Hornung Award. This award goes to the most versatile player in college football. He finished the 2013 season with 57 catches for 1,117 yards and eight touchdowns. He also led the SEC in kickoff return yards. After this season, he decided to enter the 2014 NFL draft.

College Statistics Overview

Professional NFL Career

New York Giants (2014–2018)

Rookie of the Year Season (2014)

The New York Giants picked Beckham as the 12th player overall in the 2014 NFL draft. He was the third wide receiver chosen that year. He signed a four-year contract for $10.4 million.

Beckham missed the first four games of the season due to a leg injury. He played his first game on October 5, 2014. He had four catches for 44 yards and a touchdown. In a game against the Dallas Cowboys, he made a famous one-handed touchdown catch. Many people called it the "catch of the year." The Pro Football Hall of Fame even put his jersey from that game on display.

Beckham set an NFL rookie record for receiving yards in a month. He also broke a rookie record for most games in a row with over 90 receiving yards. He finished his first season with 91 catches, 1,305 yards, and 12 touchdowns in just 12 games. He was the fourth rookie in NFL history to have over 1,300 receiving yards. He was also the only rookie to have at least 90 catches and 10 touchdowns in a season. Beckham was chosen for the 2015 Pro Bowl. He was the first Giants rookie wide receiver to make the Pro Bowl. He was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Madden Cover Athlete (2015)

On May 13, 2015, Beckham was voted to be on the cover of Madden NFL 16. He was the youngest player ever to be on the cover of Madden.

He had a great game against the Atlanta Falcons with 146 yards and a touchdown. In a high-scoring game against the New Orleans Saints, he had eight catches for 130 yards and three touchdowns. He had six games in a row with over 100 receiving yards. In a game against the Carolina Panthers, Beckham had some arguments with cornerback Josh Norman. Beckham was penalized four times. The NFL suspended him for one game because of his actions. He finished the season with 1,450 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl again.

2016 Season

Beckham started all 16 games for the first time in 2016. He became the fastest player to reach 200 catches, doing it in only 30 games. In Week 6, he caught eight passes for a career-high 222 yards and two touchdowns. He helped the Giants win that game. He finished the season with 101 catches, 1,367 receiving yards, and ten touchdowns. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl for the third year in a row. The Giants made the playoffs but lost to the Green Bay Packers.

Injury-Shortened Season (2017)

Beckham speaking to Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson in 2017

In 2017, Beckham hurt his ankle in the preseason. He missed the first game of the regular season. He returned in Week 2. In Week 5, he suffered a fractured left ankle. This injury ended his season early. He had surgery to fix his ankle. In four games, Beckham had 25 catches for 302 yards and three touchdowns.

Return from Injury (2018)

Beckham greeting US military personnel before the start of a game in 2018

On August 27, 2018, Beckham signed a big new contract with the Giants. In his first game back from injury, he had 11 catches for 111 yards. He became the player with the most catches in his first 50 career games. In Week 5, Beckham threw a pass for a 57-yard touchdown to rookie Saquon Barkley. He also had 131 receiving yards in that game. He became one of the few players to throw a long touchdown pass and have over 100 receiving yards in the same game. He also threw another touchdown pass later in the season. Beckham missed the last four games of the season due to a leg injury. He finished the season with 77 catches, 1,052 yards, and six touchdowns. He also threw two touchdown passes.

Cleveland Browns (2019–2021)

First Season with Browns (2019)

On March 13, 2019, the Browns traded for Beckham. In his first game with the Browns, he caught seven passes for 71 yards. In Week 2, he had 161 receiving yards, including an 89-yard touchdown. This was his first game back at MetLife Stadium since being traded.

In Week 4, Beckham had a disagreement with a Ravens player. He was later fined by the NFL. In Week 6, he caught six passes for 101 yards. He was also fined for wearing cleats that did not follow NFL rules. In Week 12, he caught six passes for 84 yards and a touchdown. It was later revealed that he was playing with a sports hernia injury. He had surgery for this injury in January 2020.

Injury in 2020 Season

Beckham warming up before the start of a game in 2020

In Week 2 of 2020, Beckham caught four passes for 74 yards and a touchdown. In Week 4, he had five catches for 81 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 73 yards and a touchdown. He had a total of 154 yards and three touchdowns in that game. In Week 7, Beckham left the game with a knee injury. The next day, it was found that he had a torn ACL. This ended his season early. He finished the 2020 season with 23 catches for 319 yards and three touchdowns in seven games.

Leaving the Browns (2021)

In November 2021, the Browns announced they would release Beckham. This happened after his father shared concerns about how Beckham was being used in the team's offense. He was officially released on November 8.

Los Angeles Rams (2021)

Beckham signed a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Rams on November 11, 2021. He played in eight regular season games for the Rams. He scored a touchdown in five of those games. He finished the season with 44 catches for 537 yards and five touchdowns.

Beckham scored his first playoff touchdown in January 2022. This was in a game against the Arizona Cardinals. In the NFC Championship Game, Beckham caught nine passes for 113 yards. This helped the Rams win and go to Super Bowl LVI.

In the Super Bowl against the Bengals, Beckham scored the first touchdown of the game. However, he left the game in the second quarter with a knee injury. The Rams won the Super Bowl 23–20, giving Beckham his first Super Bowl championship. The next day, it was found that he had torn his ACL again. This was less than a year and a half after his first ACL tear.

2022 Season and Recovery

Beckham spent the 2022 season recovering from his ACL injury. He did not sign with any team during that season. He did attend the Rams' championship banner ceremony in September 2022.

Baltimore Ravens (2023)

On April 9, 2023, Beckham signed a one-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens. He caught his first touchdown with the Ravens on his 31st birthday. In Week 11, he had four catches for 116 yards. This was his first game with over 100 receiving yards since 2021. In the 2023 season, he played in 14 games and started six. He had 35 catches for 565 yards and three touchdowns. The Ravens released him on March 13, 2024.

Miami Dolphins (2024)

On May 8, 2024, Beckham signed a one-year contract with the Miami Dolphins. He was placed on a special list at the start of the season because of an injury. He was able to play on October 5, 2024.

On December 13, 2024, Beckham and the Dolphins agreed for him to leave the team. Before this, he played in nine games, with nine catches for 55 yards.

NFL Career Statistics Overview

Regular Season Games

Playoff Games

Awards and Achievements

• Super Bowl champion (LVI)
• 2× Second-team All-Pro (2015, 2016)
• 3× Pro Bowl (2014, 2015, 2016)
• AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (2014)
• PFWA Rookie of the Year (2014)
• PFWA Offensive Rookie of the Year (2014)
• Sporting News Rookie of the Year (2014)
• Ranked among the NFL Top 100 Players several times.

New York Giants Team Records

• Most receiving yards in a season by a rookie: 1,305
• Most catches in a season by a rookie: 91 (tied)
• Most catches in a game by a rookie wide receiver: 12
• Most games with at least 100 receiving yards by a rookie: 7
• Most receiving touchdowns in a game by a rookie: 3
• Highest average receiving yards per game in a season: 108.8

NFL Records Set by Odell Beckham Jr.

• Fastest player to reach 100, 150, 200, and 250 career catches.
• Fastest player to reach 3,000, 3,500, and 4,000 career receiving yards.
• Most games with at least 125 receiving yards in his first three seasons: 13
• Most catches in the first 15 games of a career: 110
• Most consecutive games with at least 90 receiving yards: 9 (tied)
• Only player in NFL history to have at least 1,300 receiving yards while playing in 12 or fewer games in a season.

Personal Life

Beckham in 2019

Odell Beckham Jr. has a younger brother and a younger sister. His brother, Kordell Beckham, won the reality dating show Love Island USA season 6 in 2024.

Beckham's father, Odell Beckham Sr., played running back at LSU from 1989 to 1992. His mother, Heather Van Norman, was a track runner at LSU. She won three national championships in relay races in 1993. She later became a track and field coach.

Beckham is friends with many famous people, including LeBron James and Drake. He is a Christian and was baptized in the Jordan River in 2018.

In 2015, Beckham set a world record with Drew Brees for the most one-handed catches in a minute. He caught 33 passes. However, this record was later broken by CFL player Andy Fantuz, who caught 50.

Beckham and his partner Lauren Wood had their first child, a son, in February 2022.

In November 2022, Beckham was asked to leave an American Airlines flight. This happened because he did not put on his seatbelt and seemed unresponsive. He was later banned from future flights with American Airlines.

Charity Work

Beckham has helped raise money and awareness for many important causes. These include cancer research, feeding hungry people, and helping those affected by natural disasters.

• In September 2016, he donated $500,000 from his jersey sales to help repair damage from major flooding in his home state of Louisiana.
• In Week 13 of the 2016 NFL season, he wore Make-A-Wish Foundation cleats to support their cause.
• In July 2017, Beckham met a nine-year-old boy named Jayro Ponce who was battling cancer. Jayro was Beckham's favorite player. Beckham flew to meet him and spent the day with him.
• In September 2017, Beckham donated $100,000 to help people affected by Hurricane Harvey. He also encouraged others to donate.
• In October 2018, he worked with ShopRite and Crest to raise money to help feed hungry Americans.

Sponsorships

In May 2017, Beckham signed a large endorsement deal with Nike. It was worth $25 million over five years. He also has deals with other companies like Head & Shoulders and Foot Locker.

Images for kids

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  Beckham with the Cleveland Browns in 2019