Odell Beckham Jr. is sharing his side of the story after the New York Giants released him Tuesday—just days after he made the team’s initial roster.
The veteran wide receiver opened up in Instagram comments, revealing that the decision hit him hard, especially after hearing his son talk about how excited he was before learning Beckham was no longer with the team.
“It broke me tf down,” Beckham wrote. He also added, “idk why they even gave me the run along, I coulda really been playing this year somewhere and making an impact.”
Beckham’s comments appear to contradict NFL insider Jordan Schultz’s report that the Giants and the wideout made a “mutual” decision to part ways. “This gives him an opportunity to catch on with a team in a better situation, where his talents can be better utilized,” Schultz previously said.
The split also follows head coach John Harbaugh’s blunt assessment of Beckham’s time with the team.
“We just weren’t getting enough. It just wasn’t working for us,” Harbaugh told reporters Wednesday. “I wanted to be able to give more; I wanted him to be able to do more. I wanted to get him on the field more.
“I’m not hiding anything. It’s not Watergate. We’re trying to be the best team we can be this week.”
Beckham’s return to New York initially felt like a full-circle moment. He spent his first five NFL seasons with the Giants, earning three Pro Bowl selections, Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, and recording more than 1,300 receiving yards in each of his first three seasons.
However, his latest run with the team never took off. Beckham recorded no catches and just one target during New York’s first three games, while Malik Nabers, Malachi Fields, Darnell Mooney, and tight end Isaiah Likely saw more action in the passing game.
Now, Beckham is searching for his next opportunity after his highly anticipated reunion with the Giants came to an early end.