Odell Beckham’s emotional Giants dream gets swift and honest response from John Harbaugh

Odell Beckham Jr. has done all he can to prove to the New York Giants that he is worthy of making the 53-man roster.

The former first-round NFL Draft pick was out of the league last season, but was handed a lifeline by the Giants – the team who drafted him back in 2014 – this off-season.

Getty

After a strong training camp and some solid preseason performances, Giants head coach John Harbaugh is of the belief that the 33-year-old has proven himself to make a 53-man roster this year.

“I don’t wanna say exactly who’s making it right now or not, and what the considerations are and things can happen,” Harbaugh said to reporters after the game.

“But I think I would answer the question – yes. I think he has done enough to make an NFL roster, for sure.

“He’s played well. He’s gotten better as camp’s gone along. He deserves credit for that. He’s done a really good job with it.”

In Big Blue’s final preseason outing of the summer – a 23-6 win over their local rivals New York Jets, Beckham Jr. recorded three receptions for 53 yards.

This was just one yard shy of Xavier Gipson’s 54 yards from two receptions – the team’s leading receiver on the night.

But he could have had much more.

If backup quarterback Jameis Winston had hit him in stride during the second quarter, then Beckham Jr was on course for a likely 73-yard score.

However, with the wideout having to make an all-out dive for the ball, it fell to the ground for an incompletion.

On that specific play, Beckham was said to have recorded a top speed of 20.54 miles per hour, which, according to ESPN, was the second-fastest speed recorded by a player on a non-special teams play in the game.

Getty

Getty

Could OBJ start for New York Giants?

After the game on Friday night, OBJ spoke out about what it would mean for him to make the Giants’ final 53-man roster for the upcoming season.

“It would mean everything to me if I made it,” Beckham said.

“Seeing my [4-year-old] son at the game yelling and just looking at me, he told one of his friends, ‘People always want to take a picture with my dad. He must be the best.’

“It just made me laugh because I want to show him, lead the way. I want to be a good example for him. Be a good man. I love him so much.”

Having last played in the NFL for the Miami Dolphins in the 2024 season, where he had just nine receptions for 55 yards in nine games, the three-time Pro Bowler has left no stone unturned as he bids to make his long-awaited return to the gridiron.

“I feel like I gave everything I’ve had. Super grateful for the opportunity. At this point, it’s in God’s hands,” he said.

“I know that I have a good feeling about myself. I feel like there is ball to be played, plays to be made. Right now, I’m just truly grateful for that opportunity and experience.

“It was a tough couple years, taking a step back and deciding whether to move forward with life. Are you done? The mental battles that we go through and just push through, persevere and overcome adversity, like I said, I’m truly grateful.”

Beckham Jr will learn his fate by August 30 at 6pm ET when the deadline for all 32 teams around the league to trim their rosters is.