It's all so bittersweet for Odell Beckham Jr. at the moment. On Sunday, he finally ascended the mountain and became an NFL champion when Matthew Stafford and Co. helped lead the Los Angeles Rams to a 23-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium in Super Bowl LVI. Unfortunately for Beckham, he didn't finish the game after being helped to the locker room with a knee injury late in the second quarter -- not to return -- after falling to the ground in noticeable pain on a non-contact incomplete pass.
Not 24 hours after celebrating the victory, Beckham has been hit with terrible news. The veteran wide receiver is believed to have suffered a torn ACL on Sunday, per CBS Sports NFL insider Jason La Canfora, who added MRI results are expected to confirm the bad news. Beckham suffered the same ACL tear 16 months prior, also against the Bengals -- that time as a member of the Cleveland Browns.
The injury throws Beckham's promising offseason into instant turmoil.
Beckham, 29, was rejuvenated after his toxic divorce from the Browns and relocation to the Rams in 2021. In the absence of Robert Woods and taking the place of an unproductive (and ultimately, released) DeSean Jackson, Beckham almost instantly became the dynamic complement to eventual Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp. It all led to not only a deep playoff run for the Rams, but also interest in re-signing Beckham for 2022 and potentially beyond, combined with what was surely to be an increased interest from teams around the league who were being reminded of Beckham's abilities.
It now remains to be seen who would be willing to make a long-term offer to the former Pro Bowl wideout, because the timing of his injury not only begs the question of if he'll be ready for the start of the 2022 season (or even near it), but if his knee can hold up over time -- considering he's now torn the same ACL twice in as many seasons.
Beckham produced 305 receiving yards and five touchdowns for the Rams in seven regular-season starts, along with 288 receiving yards and two touchdowns in the postseason. He was again off to a hot start in the Super Bowl, grabbing two catches for 52 yards and a touchdown before going down with injury.
There is no longer a question about what he can do on the field, but there is now a huge question on how much longer he can do it.
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