Could wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. return to the New York Giants?
That question has been asked every single year since Beckham was traded to the Cleveland Browns in 2019. Over that span, Beckham has expressed both anger and frustration with the Giants, while also looking back on his tenure fondly.
Time has a way of changing perception, and seven years after that trade, Beckham recently revealed the heartbreak he felt at the time.
“I never, ever wanted to leave the New York Giants,” Beckham Jr. said. “The reason you heard me talking about what was going on was because I was pissed because, where I come from in college, if we lost one game, our season was over.
“This was the organization I got drafted to. They believed in me. So if the Giants went and won a Super Bowl, I would be happy. But deep down inside, I wanted to be the one. No question. So it’s definitely you’ll always hold that. But then someone like me, I went to the LA Rams, won a Super Bowl. But still, you just want that.”
And now we circle back around.
The Giants have been actively searching for wide receivers to add to their roster, most recently visiting with veteran Gabe Davis. Might general manager Joe Schoen consider the 32-year-old Beckham?
That seems unlikely, but Beckham doesn’t appear to be closing the door.
During a panel appearance at Fanatics Fest NYC on Saturday, a fan yelled out, encouraging Beckham to return to the Giants. The 2014 Offensive Rookie of the Year offered a smile and a three-word response.
“I got you,” Beckham said.
The decision is obviously not Beckham’s to make, but stranger things have happened. As former Giants general manager Jerry Reese would remind, “Never say never.”
During his time with the Giants, Beckham was arguably the most electrifying offensive player the franchise had ever seen. He dazzled with feats of athleticism rarely seen, highlighted by unbelievable one-handed catches and elite route running. He was lightning in a bottle, capable of taking it to the house any time he touched the ball.
Beckham is no longer that level of superstar, hindered by various injuries, but that’s not to say he doesn’t have something to offer a team or locker room. And it would be somewhat fitting to see him end his NFL career back where it began.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Odell Beckham has 3-word response after being told to return to New York Giants
Reporting by Dan Benton, Giants Wire / Giants Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
