Baltimore Ravens' star wide receiver, Odell Beckham Jr., opened up about the doubts he faced after suffering a significant injury during Super Bowl LVI while playing for the Los Angeles Rams.
In an exclusive interview with The Athletic's Dan Pompei, Beckham revealed that he had seriously contemplated retirement from American football until the Baltimore Ravens extended him an offer, his current one-year, $15 million deal.
More pressing for the Ravens, though, is the fact that Beckham might actually be a one-and-done type of player for Baltimore following his statement about what went through his head following his latest injury.
"I’m thinking like this is my last year. I’m going to give it my all this year. And then if something happens after that, we can go from there."Odell Beckham Jr., Baltimore Ravens
Beckham, who had suffered devastating injuries before, most probably knew what was coming his way the minute he went down in the Super Bowl matchup.
The veteran has spent a year and a half rehabilitating from his latest injury so it makes sense for him to take things a bit easier and to avoid looking too further down the road.
Beckham told Pompei that he "went through a lot" after getting injured, even thinking "it was over" when it came to his professional career.
"I didn’t want to get back up on the horse and do the same song and dance all over again," Beckham told Pompei in their interview.
That aligns with the feelings of playing one season with the Ravens, the revisiting of his situation once the year is over and he can take the proper time to study where he, his body, and his mind are at.
The Ravens can't really ask much more from Beckham at this point, even with the season yet to start. OBJ gave them an extraordinary chance of using him one last time in the NFL instead of calling it quits altogether.
That can already be considered a win by Baltimore, and now it's time for both parties to enjoy the ride and make the most of their time together.