Odell Beckham Jr. Reunites with the New York Giants, but Has More to Prove than Ever
December 8, 2024, was the last time NFL fans saw veteran wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. take to the field, while playing for the Miami Dolphins. As talented as the 33-year-old is, he spent the 2025-2026 season sidelined after ESPN noted he "accepted a six-game suspension for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing drugs." After serving his time out of commission, he's been eyeing a return to the league, and in a touching story, his comeback sees him reunite with the New York Giants.
Early on the morning of June 1, reports began to circulate that Beckham Jr., JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Braxton Berrios were all working out with the Giants, each vying to become the veteran wide receiver the team was looking for to fill out their roster. However, it was only hours later that follow-up stories emerged, revealing that the Giants had picked up Berrios. While many assumed that meant OBJ was out of contention, that turned out not to be the case. The Giants officially announced his return on their social media just after noon on the East Coast. Beckham and the team agreed to a one-year deal.
OBJ's Second Chance with Giants Comes with a Lot of High Stakes
Football fans know OBJ was drafted by the Giants in 2014 and stayed with the team for roughly four years. By 2018, his relationship soured with personnel within the organization, in particular, the coaching staff. As reported on the NFL website, OBJ once stated:
"I felt betrayed in a sense that this coach had tried to turn me against my brothers and my people. [The coach] was telling the young guys to stay away from me because I'm not a good person or not a good (team player) or not a good role model, this and that."
However, despite the tension, OBJ has maintained for years that he never wanted to leave. He even told the New York Post, "It's a place [New York] I never wanted to leave. And it's just a special place in my heart." Additionally, he's always maintained that he wanted to help bring a Super Bowl championship to New York.
So part of OBJ's reunion faces a lot of eyes with people wondering if he and the Giants can really let bygones be bygones and wipe the slate clean. While it takes two to tango, most eyes will fall on him in this regard, and the Giants picking him up now signals they are ready to turn the page.
OBJ is also likely to face a lot of scrutiny again, stemming from his suspension and time out of the league. When you add his age to the consideration, there will be plenty of people speculating if he's "still got it." And he's likely to have fewer opportunities to prove he has gas in the tank with him probably not being the first wide receiver option on the roster with the Giants' Malik Nabers now as the team's star in that position.
On a final note, with OBJ maintaining his goal of wanting to bring a championship to New York, he's on a time crunch. Once more, he's only signed a one-year deal with the Giants and he's racing against Father Time. So can the Giants get it done in this next season? As a fan of OBJ, I certainly hope so.
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 1, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published June 1, 2026 at 1:29 PM.