It's crazy to think Odell Beckham Jr. struggled to get catches under his belt consistently when he was with the Cleveland Browns. Baker Mayfield and the Browns' offense were ineffective for the majority of the season.
Fast forward to January 2022, Beckham Jr. is enjoying life in Los Angeles after reportedly forcing his way out of Cleveland to join the Rams. The L.A. outfit is heading to the Super Bowl for the second time in four years after edging past the San Francisco 49ers 20-17 in the NFC Championship game on Sunday.
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Terrell Owens backs Beckham Jr.'s rise in Los Angeles
Former NFL star Terrell Owens blamed Browns quarterback Mayfield for Beckham Jr.'s struggles in Cleveland. The former Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys star tweeted:
Congratulations to the @Bengals and @RamsNFL but EXTREMELY HAPPY for @obj!!! @browns @bakermayfield totally screwed that situation up!! In the words of @KendrickPerkins… #CarryTheHellOn
Beckham Jr. and Mayfield's on-field relationship took a hit during the start of the 2021-22 NFL season. Things got so ugly that Beckham Jr.'s father had to justify why his son wasn't the problem in Cleveland and that it's time for him to move on. The wide receiver looked frustrated with his lack of production in the Browns offense. The Rams came to the rescue for OBJ in November and he's not looked back since then.
Beckham Jr. caught nine passes for 113 yards against the 49ers on Sunday's NFC title showdown. It was OBJ's first 100-yard game since Week 6 of 2019. The 29-year-old caught 27 passes for 305 yards and five touchdowns over eight games in the regular season.
It is worth noting that Jalen Ramsey and Von Miller lobbied hard for Beckham Jr. to join the Rams when he was dealing with issues in Cleveland. The wide receiver thanked Sean McVay, Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp and the entire organization for helping him settle in L.A. He said:
“Being integrated into the plan. Taking me in, pushing me for excellence, the weight room — everything about this place is right and it’s done right. And it’s just been an incredible opportunity. And I feel like I’m just trying to make the most of it. And here we are playing in the Super Bowl, one game away from our dreams.”
He further praised the franchise for having faith in him:
“With the meetings, the extra work, just helping me to be prepared so I can go out there and play fast,” Beckham said. “You know, the very first game we played San Francisco at San Francisco. The first play of the game, the ball was thrown my way and it’s just been — they’ve instilled confidence into me. And I’m at a loss for words. I’m just trying to enjoy the moment.”
The Rams host the Cincinnati Bengals on February 13 at the SoFi Stadium in an interesting Super Bowl showdown.
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