Odell Beckham Jr edges closer to NFL return as flag football display sparks interest in free-agent wide receiver
Odell Beckham Jr has generated interest from NFL teams after impressing in Tom Brady's flag football game at the weekend, according to reports.
The free-agent wide receiver, 33, last played for the Miami Dolphins in the 2024 season, before the two parties mutually agreed to go their separate ways seven months into his one-year deal.
After leaving Miami, Beckham accepted a six-game ban in October of last year for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drugs policy during his time with the Dolphins, despite insisting he did not knowingly take any banned substances.
He served his suspension, which ended on Week 12, as a free agent but is yet to sign with a new team since. The Super Bowl champion was also eligible to do so throughout his suspension.
Yet according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Beckham has received 'renewed interest' since playing in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic event in Los Angeles last Saturday.
His superb showing on the day, which included a breathtaking one-handed touchdown over a defender and several nice grabs, seemingly proved to a number of teams that he still has what it takes to flourish in the league.
Odell Beckham Jr has drawn NFL interest after impressing in Tom Brady's flag football game
The free-agent wide receiver produced a strong display in the Fanatics event last weekend
It remains to be seen whether any of them offer him a contract this offseason, with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs and two of his former teams, the Los Angeles Rams and New York Giants, previously linked with a move.
'Looking forward to hopefully getting an opportunity to play this year, and hopefully, this is kinda just a starting point,' he told Kay Adams after the flag football event.
Adams specifically asked him if the Giants could be an option given quarterback Jaxson Dart is in need of some receiver options.
'Weird, you said that. That sounds great,' Beckham replied.
'If that opportunity presents itself, I would love to do that. Be excited about that.'
He added about Dart: 'He's a good dude. He's young, and he likes to dance. I like all that. So he looks like he likes to have fun. If I get that opportunity.'
Beckham's NFL career got off to a blistering start in New York, where he caught 575 passes for 7,987 yards and 59 touchdowns.
Beckham, 33, served a six-game doping ban last season and is yet to find a new team since
He has been navigating the latter stage of his career on a year-by-year basis the past few seasons, having signed with the Baltimore Ravens and Miami in recent years after sitting out the 2022 season with a torn ACL.
The former No. 12 pick joined the Dolphins in May 2024 but never got going under Mike McDaniel, recording just nine receptions for 55 yards in nine appearances before being waived.
Back in 2021, Beckham helped the Rams win the Super Bowl after being traded to LA by the Cleveland Browns, catching the opening touchdown pass of the game before suffering the torn ACL.
Since that injury, he has only registered 44 catches for 620 yards and three touchdowns in 23 games for the Ravens and Dolphins while his form has deteriorated.
