His best football may be long behind him, but Odell Beckham Jr. is hungry to win another Super Bowl ring.
The well-traveled receiver’s next stop will be in Miami where he hopes he can help the young Dolphins get over the hump and made a deep playoff run this coming season.
With where he is at this stage in his career, Beckham had to settle for a one-year, $3 million contract. (Although he could earn up to $8.25 million if he hits his incentives.)
Beckham admitted that he had to check his ego at the door when he was exploring free agency this time around.
“Where I’m at in my career, just understanding your role and how you can be the very best at that role. Maximize those opportunities, don’t look for more or less and just stay within that,” he said of his decision to sign with the Dolphins knowing his role would be much smaller than he’s used to.
Interestingly, he was originally hesitant to even consider signing with the Dolphins.
No, not because it rains often in Miami – but because Tua Tagovailoa is a left-handed quarterback.
That might sound strange, but it’s true…
“I definitely was a little hesitant at first, because he’s a lefty, and I think I shied away from lefties,” Beckham admitted.
“But now that I think about it, I’ve been throwing with Jarvis Landry since I was 15 years old (and) one of my trainers is left-handed.”
Beckham’s concerns were alleviated after speaking with individuals who have experience playing with Tagovailoa and studying film of the Dolphins quarterback.
“They said he just throws different. They said the accuracy and the spin, they’re like it’s not really like he’s left-handed,” Beckham explained.
“Just watching his film, there’s a lot of great things that he’s been doing.”
Tagovailoa is one of the most polarizing players in the entire league.
He puts up great numbers and is well-known for his pinpoint accuracy. However, there are many who are hesitant to dive into the Tua love pool.
A whole lot of that has to do with the fact that he often shrinks in big games.
Beckham hopes he can help change that narrative, especially since he’ll be joining a wide reciever room that includes Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
He hopes his new-found maturity will help serve him as a mentor and leader for his teammates.
“I think we all just push each other, and for me at this place in my life and my career, I haven’t been the No. 1 [receiver] in a minute,” Beckham reflected.
“You could go look at targets. You could go look at anything. That’s not really where I’ve been at. So just understanding your role and how can you be the very best at that role, maximize those opportunities.”
It will be fascinating to see how much Beckham has left in the tank and just how effective he can be on the field for the Dolphins.
One thing is for sure: head coach Mike McDaniel will be sure to get him involved.
Injuries have been a major factor for Beckham his entire career. If he can actually stay healthy, the Dolphins could be onto something.
What are your thoughts on Beckham joining the Dolphins?
How about the whole left-handed quarterback aspect? … Tua continues to catch strays, huh?
How much do you think Beckham has left in the tank?
We all know Miami was a bit of a front-running team last year … Will that change this coming season???