Odell Beckham Jr. is sticking by his viral statement.
Beckham Jr.'s comments on The Pivot Podcast back in October resurfaced this week and went viral for him saying it would be hard to stretch a five-year $100 million contract from the NFL. The viral comment sparked a debate online, but also made it to former NFL stars Shannon Sharpe and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson.
“I always explain this to people,” OBJ said on The Pivot Podcast. “You give somebody a five-year, $100 million contract—that’s five years for 60. We’re getting taxed. That’s 12 million a year you have to spend, use, save, invest, flaunt, whatever.”
Beckham, who signed a then-record-breaking $95 million contract with the New York Giants in 2018, continued: “If you’re spending $4 million a year … that’s really $40 million over five years … Can you make that last forever?”
Sharpe and Johnson couldn't understand his reasoning, sharing that it seemed that the former Giants star was talking about wants instead of necessities.
“OBJ, I’m going to be honest with you, bro. If you get 60 million dollars liquid and that can’t last you a lifetime, you’ve got a problem,” Sharpe said on the Night Cap podcast.
The NFL Hall of Famer then questioned Beckham Jr.: “Do you really need 10 houses? Do you really need 15 cars? Do you need to buy everybody in your family a house that costs a million or two million dollars?”
Odell Beckham Jr. reacts to backlash on his comments
On Tuesday (Dec. 2), OBJ posted a message on X reacting to his viral message.
“Boy u can’t say nothin in this world nowadays, that’s why I been in my own lane my own world n put the way,” he wrote. “People love to take Shxt [sic] completely outta context to rationalize a statement in their own head that makes sense to them… what a world.”
Fans reacted in the comments to OBJ's response sharing that most people can't understand what he's saying due to the current economic situations people are facing.
“I completely get what you were saying and I know how much they tax, plus athletes often have to make their earnings last multiple lifetimes which can be tough because guys aren’t budgeting for that. But most of the country is in debt/broke so 99.9% of people can’t relate lol,” a fan wrote.
One fan called the NFL star out, writing, “If you don’t understand why you got backlash from what you said, then you are completely out of touch with reality.”
Despite the backlash from his previous comments, Beckham Jr. is moving on. The NFL recently reinstated Beckham Jr. last month after he finished his six-game suspension for a violation of the league's policy on performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). He spoke to Panning Manning on the ManningCast on Dec. 3 about his future in the NFL.
“I’m good. Just training, getting back in shape, doing all that, staying ready,” Beckham Jr. said. “Just feel like there’s some more left in the tank… I’m just waiting for that opportunity.”
Beckham Jr. has played for the New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Rams, Baltimore Ravens, and Miami Dolphins. He won a Super Bowl with the Rams in 2021.
