Odell Beckham Jr. may be in the twilight of his career, but the impact he made early on, especially with the New York Giants, still sticks with fans. From the start, he was a walking highlight reel. He had the ability to combine his freakish athleticism with top-tier production and light up defenses across the league.
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In just five seasons with the Giants, he racked up 390 receptions, 5,476 receiving yards, and 44 touchdowns, cementing his status as one of the most electrifying talents of the era. And now, years and injuries later, it’s those early days in New York that Beckham still holds dearest.
This was evident in his recent Fanatics Fest appearance, when OBJ was asked a loaded question: would he trade his Super Bowl ring with the Rams to go back and win one with the Giants? And interestingly enough, his answer was simple, but equally raw and revealing: “I never wanted to leave.”
That statement resonated with fans and NFL legends alike, as it gave them an idea of how much Odell misses his New York days. A sentiment explored in depth by Chad Johnson and Shannon Sharpe in the latest episode of their Nightcap podcast.
“He was on an unbelievable trajectory as a receiver,” Johnson said. “Those first three, four years… he was special.” Then he added something more pointed: “The Giants have a problem getting rid of players that are extremely good.”
Johnson lumped Beckham in with the Giants front office’s recent fumble of Saquon Barkley, expressing disbelief at how easily the franchise moved on from foundational stars.
“If the game coming on at 1:00, you want to make sure you’re in your seat at 12:58, ‘cause I ain’t missing nothing when the Giants play,” Ocho added, perfectly capturing the kind of draw Odell Beckham Jr. was in his prime — a human form of an Instagram reel that made fans rearrange their Sundays for.
However, Shannon Sharpe pulled no punches about the circumstances that led to the polarizing NFL star’s exit. He pointed to Odell’s controversial Miami trip before the Giants’ playoff game in Green Bay, which made even small incidents get magnified. “Sometimes when a team is looking to get out of something, they’ll look for any reason — and don’t you help them.”
That said, do the former NFL stars see a redemption arc in store for OBJ? Well, Shannon Sharpe, for starters, wasn’t sure whether Beckham would even return to the league.
“Two ACLs, a broken leg, shoulder issues — once you start bouncing around every year, it’s just a matter of time.” But the Broncos legend did wish OBJ had stayed healthy in the Super Bowl, calling the Rams “a perfect place” for him, and emphasizing how well Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford had unlocked his game.
Ultimately, the conversation made one thing crystal clear: Odell Beckham Jr.’s time in New York wasn’t just great, it was era-defining. And if it were up to him, he’d rather rewrite history in blue than bask in glory in gold. But for someone who hasn’t played a snap in the NFL since December last year, such statements scream nostalgia more than realistic intent.
