Obstacles Behind Him, Odell Beckham Jr. is Soaking in the Value of Reaching Super Bowl LVI

Odell Beckham Jr. shares what it means to be one win away from winning a Super Bowl given all the obstacles he's overcome to be in this position.
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Odell Beckham Jr.'s path to success this season hasn’t exactly come in conventional fashion. Nevertheless, he's thriving in the form that he displayed early on in his career during his time in New York.

After a rocky stint in Clevland that surfaced two and a half seasons, Beckham's tenure with the Browns finished with him being released outright prior to joining the Rams at the midpoint of the 2021 season.

"It's been tough," Beckham said when reflecting on his journey of being on the doorstep of a Super Bowl victory this season. "Since 2017, shattering your ankle, busting your ass, coming back time and time again and things just never went the way that I would like. I keep talking about, it was just that faith, staying down, staying prayed up, never doubting or not believing in yourself, that makes this very special for me to have an opportunity to play in a Super Bowl. You sacrifice it all just for these moments."

After bursting onto the scene in 2014 with the Giants as a rookie, Beckham has hit some bumps in the road prior to coming to L.A.

Last season, a torn ACL in Week 7, limited him to just seven games played. After a noteworthy start to his career, Beckham logged just seven touchdowns in 29 games with the Browns.

While things didn’t go according to plan in Cleveland, a fresh start was exactly what Beckham needed to re-energize his talents. And they’ve flashed in a monumental way since joining the Rams in Week 10.

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"I mean, playing in the Super Bowl is everything you could have ever dreamed of," Beckham said. "When I was sitting at home, and there was nothing but silence, and it was just me and God just sitting there, this is what came over me. It was Los Angeles Rams, and the opportunity to do exactly what we're doing right now. So it's just pretty crazy to me, just the power of manifestation, belief, faith, all those things, to be exactly where I'm at now, with the opportunity to win a Super Bowl."

Beckham's calling to the Rams has exhibited he still has plenty left in the tank to compete at the highest level. Beckham scored a touchdown in five of his final seven games to end the regular season, and has been a critical player in key moments of the Rams' playoff run, capping off a nine-catch, 113-yard performance in the NFC Championship game.

"I know the opportunity that's at hand," he said. "I don't take it lightly. And I'm just gonna find a way to give my very best game for one more game."

With all the adversity that Beckham has overcome, he has one final obstacle in his way this season on the grand stage of Super Bowl LVI, sitting one win away from Hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.


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Nick Cothrel is the publisher of Ram Digest. Follow Nick and Ram Digest on Twitter @NickCothrel & @RamDigestSI for more Rams coverage.


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Nicholas Cothrel
NICHOLAS COTHREL

Nick Cothrel covers the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated.