Has Odell Beckham Jr. found his forever home in the NFL?
It's probably too soon for such bold declarations, but the 29-year-old wide receiver was understandably elated after his Los Angeles Rams knocked off the 49ers on Sunday night to advance to Super Bowl LVI.
And, according to Peter King of NBC Sports, Beckham seems to be "happier than he's ever been as a pro:"
Beckham (nine catches, 113 yards) was every bit as important as Kupp. Once and for all, Beckham has proven at 29 that he’s not washed up. Whatever happened in Cleveland has stayed in Cleveland, and Beckham is happier than he’s ever been as a pro.
Asked to elaborate on why he seems to be a good fit with the Rams, Beckham seemed to throw a little shade at his previous employers in Cleveland and New York.
“Everything here is done right,” Beckham said after the game.
The uber-talented but mercurial wideout signed with Los Angeles around midseason, after he lobbied for his release by Cleveland, where he never seemed totally comfortable despite racking up over 1,000 receiving yards in his first season there.
Beckham's ill-fated two-plus seasons with the Browns came after he seemed to wear out his welcome with the Giants, with whom he earned Pro Bowl nods in each of his first three professional seasons.
Injuries, middling quarterback play, and his sometimes unpredictable behavior have conspired to dim Beckham's star in the years since he arrived on the scene as an electrifying deep threat with a knack for circus grabs. But he now seems to have carved out a niche as a favorite target of Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, alongside Cooper Kupp, the league's leading receiver in 2021.
On Sunday night, after the Rams advanced to the big game, Beckham was seen consoling a distraught Deebo Samuel.
Most users who responded to the scene seemed to appreciate the gesture of sportsmanship.
Still, Beckham has rubbed some fans and journalists the wrong way in his career, and not everyone was buying it.
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