Odell Beckham Jr. – May 15, 2024
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Wednesday, May 15, 2024
WR Odell Beckham Jr.
(How does it feel to be in Miami for a longer period this time?) – “Usually you only come down here for a couple of days, but it’s a place that I enjoy. Beautiful weather and obviously a beautiful facility, organization, everything. An opportunity that I’m truly excited about.”
(What was it about this opportunity that sold you that this was the right choice for you?) – “I’m kind of just in a place in my life where it’s always been like this but truly just leaning on God and what he’s putting in front of me. This opportunity was the main one that kept being put in front of my face. I remember somebody asked me a few years ago if I would ever play for the Dolphins. I kind of shrugged it off, that it wasn’t really an idea. Obviously, I have a couple guys that I know down here, my brother Duke Riley, won a championship with Jalen (Ramsey). But Coach Mike (McDaniel) definitely is someone who – he sold it to me because it’s just his energy, we speak the same language (when) we’re talking, the conversations we had about football. Just the opportunity, like I said, is presenting itself. God put it in front of me and that’s kind of just where I went and rolled with it.”
(You mentioned Head Coach Mike McDaniel. What do you think his offense can do for you?) – “A lot. Just watching the film, just seeing what it is, it kind of reminds me of a place where I had a lot of success at as far as the Giants and timing and all those things he talks about and preaches. He was speaking football. We sat down for hours and we were just talking football. It just got me excited thinking about it. He pulled up my film compared to what they’re doing here and just kind of married the things. I’ve seen an opportunity, and I think time will tell at the end that this was the right decision.”
(How do you think your skillset will mesh with WR Tyreek Hill and WR Jaylen Waddle?) – “I got to go get back on the track, I guess, for a second, because there’s some speed down here on this team. (laughter) I’ve never shied away from competition or anything like that. I just see – Coach (McDaniel) and I were talking about it. He was saying that on third downs, they were getting a lot of doubling both of them. There’s just a lot of room for opportunity looking at it. I think that it will be a great matchup. I think we all have different skillsets, but all the same skillsets in one – all people who make plays. I’m just looking forward to the opportunity.”
(Can you describe the role quarterback played in your decision? What is it about QB Tua Tagovailoa that you think will work out in this relationship?) – “I definitely was a little hesitant at first, because he’s a lefty and I think I shied away from lefties. But now that I think about it, I’ve been throwing with Jarvis Landry since I was 15 years old. One of my trainers is left-handed. 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. Just watching his film, there’s a lot of great things that he’s been doing. He did it at Alabama, did it here with the Dolphins. Like I said, I’ve just seen an opportunity when I really watched the film, when I really sat down and didn’t look at a destination. I looked at myself in the mirror and a place for me and my career. I’ve just seen a lot of opportunity here.”
(You mentioned competition. You’ve long been the number one in every building. With WR Tyreek Hill and WR Jaylen Waddle, what do you think that room, that competition will be like?) – “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 number one in a minute. 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. Don’t look for more or less, just stay within that present moment and I think you’ll find a way to succeed.”
(How difficult is it for you as a guy that’s been there to accept that role? It’s a maturity process, obviously, to know what’s best for winning.) – “I think it’s not difficult at all anymore. I’m kind of past it. Things have happened over the stage of my career, things happen in life, you just take the punches and roll with it. And this is where I’m at. I think having a two-year-old gives you some patience and maturity. It’s just not something I really worry about. Like I say, however many opportunities I do have, being in the best position and making the most of those – it’s really that simple.”
(How satisfying is that to be in that part of your career?) – “It’s amazing. It gives you a huge sense of peace. I feel like I used to carry a lot of anger or resentment or whatever it was. Now I just feel at peace. You’re able to train, you’re able to play the game that you love again. You kind of get past all the business side or whatever could be holding you back. A part of me feels like this is an opportunity for it to just be football.”
(You played at all three positions, X, Y and Z, I believe. You’ve seen a lot of success out of those spots. Where do you think the Dolphins see the best version of Odell in 2024?) – “I don’t mind getting in there. I don’t feel like I’ve actually had an opportunity to play slot much, and it’s just such a different game in there. I’ve been very much X, by yourself, clouded, decoy-ish over there. I think that you have Jaylen (Waddle) and Tyreek (Hill) who guys are going to focus on so much that there’s room for opportunity. Like I said, when I really sat down and watched the film and understood what Coach (McDaniel) was talking about, I think I just – along with himself, I see something that other people aren’t seeing at the moment. Just like always, time will tell.”
(How do you feel two years removed from two serious injuries?) – “I feel great now. It’s been a tough road, starting with – I think it’s funny, it started with the ankle. It happened in a preseason game, I remember my main PT was like, ‘Don’t come back. Wait three or four weeks.’ We lost our first game in Dallas, I sat out. I remember it was Week 2, and I had been through so many seasons where I understood how important it is to start the season off strong. I came back too early and ended up shattering my ankle. A lot of things kind of happened from there. Tearing the ACL in the Super Bowl after getting ready to have one of my best performances, I’ve kind of talked about this on many occasions. But looking at it now, I’m just in a great position. Two years out of it, you feel healthy, you feel good. It’s not really the same problem that I had going on. Just excited to be at peace with my body, my mind and this opportunity.”
(How do you deal with expectations? This team has Super Bowl expectations. There’s going to be expectations on social media, there’s going to be personal expectations you have for yourself. Do you think about that sort of stuff every single day and use it to motivate you? Or do you just stick in the back and say, “I’m going to do me?”) – “Not to say I don’t think about it at all, but Baltimore was Super Bowl expectations. I don’t know if the Rams were really Super Bowl expectations, but I’ve been – each and every year, it doesn’t matter if you’re the worst team in the league. You go into there like, ‘Yo, we’re going to win a Super Bowl.’ Whether you really believe it or not, everybody is expecting or hoping that that’s what it’s going to be. For me, the expectations have kind of subsided, and it’s just about playing ball. It’s about coming in each and every day getting better one percent, because it’s a long journey to get to that Super Bowl road if you focus on that the entire time. It’s OK to have those goals and expectations, but if you focus on only that, you miss out on the day-to-day details on how to get to that actual point. I just kind of stay there. I’m going to always have my personal expectations, but it is what it is at this point. Like I said, I want to win a Super Bowl. I still dare to be great. There is a reason that I’m still doing this, still playing. The expectations are still there, but it’s not the end-all be-all for me.”
(You wound up signing about five weeks after you first visited the Dolphins on a free agent visit. Did you feel all along that it was going to get done? Or were there times you thought it wasn’t going to happen?) – “Just leave it up in God’s hands. At this point in my life, I kind of just go with the flow. After the way the season ended last year, it was kind of like an abrupt feeling. I wasn’t expecting to not win the Super Bowl, so I was expecting a different kind of offseason. But just kind of going with the flow and letting life take its course. There is no point in rushing anything because life is going to happen exactly how it’s supposed to happen anyway. That was just kind of it. But off the first meeting, I was very excited about the opportunity. Conversations came along, came along and then it just happened, and it happened very fast when it did happen. I remember getting off the phone with my agent and being like, ‘Yeah, this sounds good. Let’s figure out a way to do it.’ Then eight minutes later, my phone is blowing up. It all happened very fast. But again like I said, I can’t tell you enough how excited I am about the opportunity.”
(You mentioned the Super Bowl a couple of times. You won one in L.A. with CB Jalen Ramsey. How would you describe your relationship with CB Jalen Ramsey and maybe that first conversation when you realized you will be reunited?) – “That’s my dawg. He’s part of the reason I’m here. It kind of gave me that same feeling – I remember whatever you want to call it with Cleveland. I’m sitting at home and I’m finally in one place in my career where I get to make a decision of where I want to be, who I am and all of that. I ended up choosing the Rams. Jalen (Ramsey) and Von (Miller) are like, ‘Come home, bro. We’ve got a place for you. Your locker is right next to ours.’ Jalen was kind of saying the same thing this year. That worked out well, I’m hoping this can work out the same way.”
(How well did you know WR Tyreek Hill before joining the team? What have you gotten to know about him since?) – “We’ve connected a few times. I can’t say that we are best friends or anything like that, but just from speaking to him, I can tell that he loves football. I can tell he cares about his craft; he cares to be great. He’s a good person, a competitor. So I’m excited to be in that room. I‘m excited to be with somebody who is great, be around greatness, and someone who’s definitely going to be able to push me.”
(Do you feel like in this point in your career, is there anything left that you feel like you want to prove either to yourself or others?) – “I’m always here to prove something. I think to me, it’s about finishing strong, being able to end my career on my terms. I don’t know when that is – one year, two years, three years, however many God gives me. If this is my last season, it’s whatever, but it’s just about being able to end it on a strong note, to be able to put my best foot forward. I’ve given my entire life to this game. The way it kind of went in the middle of my career and even a little bit of last year, I just can’t go out like that. I’ve really, since I was three or four years old, given my life to this game. There’s no way I won’t finish it on a high note.”
(Being in Miami, we saw you at Formula 1 and how people reacted, how they were excited to have you here. How do you feel being here in Miami and having the support from all the fans?) – “Yeah, it’s funny enough, I’ve always gotten love whenever I came down here. Again, like I said when it happened fast, it was just supposed to be a weekend that I was down here. I had something to do with CashApp and a work trip and got to have fun all in one weekend. Then I signed and it was just a lot because I was at the race and everyone was excited about the Dolphins and the opportunity. It’s fun. It’s nice being – everybody, I feel like, wants to be loved just as humans. I don’t think any of us want to be hated. But definitely get a lot of love down here and excited to be able to do something special for this city.”
(Correct me if I’m wrong, but were you close to going to the Miami Hurricanes as a recruit?) – “Very close. Miami Hurricanes, I actually drove down here to the camp and came down here. They were like, ‘That’s the way you’ll get your offer.’ Very, very close. But I was easily swayed by Jarvis (Landry) and wherever he wanted to go, I was pretty much going to go. I was sold.”
(Does it feel full circle now then?) – “(laughter) It definitely is full circle, and even Jarvis (Landry) being a Dolphin. I remember I think it was my bye week or whatever it was, I would come pick him up from work. It was just funny, so it’s definitely a full circle moment.”
(Going back to something you said earlier, is this a team you could see yourself ending your career with and a place you can see yourself hanging it up in?) – “Yeah, if that’s God’s plan, then that’s what it is. For me, it’s about taking it just a day at a time. Go through this year, be the very, very best that I can for myself, this team, organization, all that. Try and win a Super Bowl, that’s it. If more is to come after that, I’m definitely open to it, but it’s just about focusing up on this year.”
(You’ve mentioned kind of the middle of your career. I’m curious, have you been able to internalize that? You had such an amazing, historic start and then just the bad luck with injuries is kind of how it’s gone for you?) – “Yeah, I definitely – there’s no way that I haven’t not thought about it. Like you said, an incredible start and then just the way that life goes, things happen to people. But I think my favorite thing speaking on myself is resiliency. It’s about – give me the best of the best in the world and put them through what I’ve been through at the highest level and let me see them rebound and bounce and still be here to this day standing in front of whoever still daring to be great, still trying with all the things that get to be said about you and all that. I’m just going to keep going, I’m a competitor. Now that’s why it’s kind of like forget the middle part. We read a book. The start is going to capture us, we read the body of the story and then how is it going to end? That’s kind of where I’m at, let’s have a great ending to this story.”
(With your image, you’ve talked about a couple things that have been said about you. What is the biggest misconception that you think is put out there about who OBJ is?) – “(laughter) I mean, I feel like you’ll get to see who I am as a person. It’s just funny, it’s just the way the world works. I feel like the world doesn’t like the unknown, so we have to put our finger on something and identify it. Earlier on in my career, I had amazing years and then I was a bad person. Then the middle of my career, I became a good person but then I wasn’t playing good. Now I’m a good person – it is what it is. People are going to say whatever they are going to say regardless. I know who I am and I’m comfortable in my own skin, so I can always walk ten toes down. I was raised the right way, so I’m never worried about what somebody has to say about me. Never out to prove that I am something that I’m not. ‘I am who I am,’ is tatted on me, and that’s just the way I live.”
(Do you plan on hosting any football camps for the youth down here?) – “For sure. My mom and I already talked about it. It’ll probably be right before camp at the end of July. Yeah, definitely planning on that. Always that.”
(You went straight Miami Vice. What went into the fit?) – “It’s just matched the vibes, the Miami Vice vibes. Look good, feel good, play good kind of thing. It’s just fun.”
(Do you already have a spot down here?) – “I do. I was thinking about living in a condo, but then the other day, I was in a condo and getting in the elevator with 10 or 15 – I don’t know. (laughter) So I’ve got to figure something out, but again like I said, I’m super excited about this opportunity. Looking forward to being here. It’s just a blessing from God, and I’m super grateful.”
