INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION Odell Beckham Jr is known for many things in his brief but illustrious career in the National Football League NFL After a brilliant career at Louisiana State University LSU he burst onto the NFL scene as a rookie for the New York Giants His colossal individual performances as a receiver soon made him a national sensation Among the highlights of Beckham’s pro career was a spectacular one-handed catch that he made on TV’s Sunday Night Football during his rookie season in 2014 People marveled at his ability on the field But he also began to get scrutiny for actions other than his impressive playmaking In 2016 Beckham was named by the Sporting News as one of the most hated players in the NFL In just four seasons his career has been filled with drama and excellence But why The perception of Beckham as brilliant as he has been on the field is that he also is a troublemaker Many fans think he complains He has started fights with other players shown his frustration and anger on the field and caused headaches for his coaches and team with his touchdown celebrations 4
Beckham’s catch on Sunday Night Football against the Dallas Cowboys in 2014 has gone down as one of the best catches in NFL history 5 Introduction
On the field when the ball is snapped there are few receivers better than Beckham Here is how Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman described Beckham during his rookie year in 2014 One of the best defenders of the last decade Sherman has seen his fair share of talented wideouts as wide receivers are also known and broke them down in a piece for the Players Tribune in 2016 He started his analysis by talking about Beckham in a game they played two weeks before his famous catch against the Cowboys on November 23 2014 In that Week 10 game against the Giants I had been out on the field for a few plays when Odell came in fresh off the bench He ran a stop-and-go and I had it covered pretty well When he made his first cut I was right in his pocket Then he came out of the second part of his break and he just exploded like he had been shot out of a cannon and he caught the ball for a big gain I was like O K Now I know No one can deny Odell Beckham Jr s ability on the field But there is much more to Beckham than one extraordinary catch against the Dallas Cowboys or a touchdown celebration that upsets fans The son of athletes grew up to be an athlete himself and a remarkable one But his growth as a player and a person is what makes his young career so interesting 6 ODELL BECKHAM JR PRO BOWL WIDE RECEIVER
Growing Up a Tiger Odell Beckham Jr was born in Baton Rouge Louisiana on November 5 1992 Sports were a constant in his family His father Odell Beckham Sr was a star running back in high school His mother Heather Van Norman was a track standout Both athletes attended LSU where they first met Tiger Stadium at Louisiana State University LSU in Baton Rouge is home to Tiger football Odell Beckham Sr was a running back for the Tigers 7 CHAPTER ONE
