Odell Beckham Jr. Opens Up About Giants

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Anthony Licciardi | Last updated Jun 1, 2025 9:09 PM ET

There may be no bigger “what if” in New York Giants history than the trade of receiver Odell Beckham Jr.

Dealt to the Cleveland Browns for a first- and third-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, along with safety Jabrill Peppers, Beckham’s departure broke the hearts of a fanbase. He was the team’s best player and an elite offensive weapon. He was a cultural icon and, seemingly, made for the market he dominated.

And then he was shipped to Cleveland by (then) general manager Dave Gettleman for reasons that fans would still challenge.

In the years since the trade, it has grown increasingly difficult to say New York came out on the losing end. With that first-round pick, Gettleman drafted defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, who’s now one of the top defensive players in the sport. Beckham, meanwhile, has posted just one 1,000-yard season since leaving New York. He hasn’t come particularly close since doing so in 2019.

Even so, the feeling that things could have been different in East Rutherford has lingered well past Gettleman’s tenure. On “Beckham and Friends Live,” the receiver shared an emotional confession about the Giants.

"I never, ever, wanted to leave the New York Giants."

OBJ opened up on "Beckham and Friends Live" during the UCL Final @CBSSportsGolazo pic.twitter.com/hnMS24hAnX
— NFL on CBS (@NFLonCBS) June 1, 2025

"I never, ever wanted to leave the New York Giants," Beckham said. "The reason you heard me talking about what was going on was because I was pissed because, where I come from in college, if we lost one game, our season was over.

"This was the organization I got drafted to. They believed in me. So if the Giants went and won a Super Bowl, I would be happy. But deep down inside, I wanted to be the one. No question. So it's definitely you'll always hold that. But then someone like me, I went to the LA Rams, won a Super Bowl. But still, you just want that."

Maybe Beckham would have done enough to elevate Daniel Jones, who the team drafted at No. 6, just 11 picks before Lawrence. Perhaps he would have been more productive without the chemistry- and scheme-based issues that plagued his Browns tenure.

The fact that the New York faithful didn’t get to see it will continue to haunt the organization. Beckham, having won with the Rams, fell short with the Baltimore Ravens, and was forgotten with the Miami Dolphins. His career may very well be over.

The Giants will hope history doesn’t repeat itself with the LSU standout following in his footsteps.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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