The NFL tries hard to limit fun for players on Sundays. Players have little creative freedom in celebrations and are practically rendered faceless — after all, they’re not allowed to take their helmets off on the field of play.
Odell Beckham Jr. can bring a new energy to the NFL playoffs
One of the league’s best and most recognizable players is finally on a bigger stage.
Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images
Odell Beckham Jr. has done an amazing job of giving himself a face. Not just because of his lively personality, or his elaborate touchdown celebrations, or his shirtless boat trips on his days off. Beckham also happens to be a dynamic playmaker on the field.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to even be able to play in the playoffs,” Beckham said. “I feel like I’ve talked about it for years since I’ve been here, and it’s finally here.”
It’s seemingly been a long time coming for one of the NFL’s most recognizable players, but he’s just 24 years old and in his third season in the league. Still, the league might be better, even a little bit, now that the superstar wide receiver is going to be attempting a run at a Super Bowl.
No one has more fun than he does on the field
This season, Beckham got off to kind of a rough start. After an Eli Manning interception in Week 3, Beckham got mad and hit the kicking net, which struck back. Two weeks later against the Packers, he and the net shared a nice hug. Beckham put on a show the following week and took things to the next level:
Beckham has also put together a few Michael Jackson dance tributes as the Giants made their playoff push.
First, he did the Thriller dance against the Bengals:
Almost a month later, he hit that signature leg kick and moonwalked in the end zone in a game where the Giants knocked off the Cowboys for a second time this season:
Then a week later, he dialed up the dance from Jackson’s “Beat It” after scoring against the Lions:
These celebrations are superb, partially because Michael Jackson was one of the greatest entertainers and dancers of all time, but also because they’re not penalty-worthy. Nobody likes to see that laundry flying on the field when a guy is trying to have some fun.
His fashion sense is on full display Sundays
Beckham is one of many players in the NFL who is picking up on the wave that is customized cleats. A lot of the designs are pretty neat to look at, and it lets us know who’s got a sense of style.
At the beginning of the season, Beckham wore these American-themed cleats, with bald eagles on them, in remembrance of the attacks on the World Trade Center towers on 9/11.
Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
The week that broadcasting legend Craig Sager passed away, Beckham paid tribute with these colorful cleats that invoked Sager’s love of flashy outfits. (Unfortunately the NFL fined Beckham for these cleats.)
Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Before the Giants’ game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Dec. 22, Beckham wore these Christmas-themed cleats that featured the Grinch, complete with matching socks.
Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images
Beckham’s never shy about being creative with his footwork, even if he’s only allowed to wear them during pregame.
He’s been producing at a historic pace
Including this season, Beckham is a four-time Pro Bowler and a two-time second-team All-Pro. He’s the only player in NFL history with three straight seasons of 70+ catches, 1,000+ receiving yards, and 10+ receiving TDs to begin a career. Beckham is also one of two players to start his career with three straight seasons of 70+ receptions.
Think of all the greats who have played wide receiver — no one has been as productive as Beckham has so quickly. He’s the fastest to reach 250 career receptions and 4,000 career receiving yards.
He finished up the regular season with 1,367 yards, good for third in the NFL. His 10 touchdown receptions were fifth-best in the league as well. In Week 16, he had his 19th career game with at least 100 receiving yards, tying Randy Moss for the most by a player in his first three seasons.
We all know that he’s capable of making plays that we’ll likely never see made again, like his one-handed coming-out party against the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football in 2014.
He’s also come up big in the most important games this season, like when he scored the game-winner against one of the best teams in the league:
The prospect of getting an electrifying play like that in the postseason has to give Roger Goodell chills. As long as playoff Eli Manning shows up for the Giants, Beckham could have a spectacular postseason.
Either way, it’s about time we have OBJ on a bigger stage.
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