Odell Beckham Jr. explains how Lamar Jackson situation factored into decision to join Ravens
Odell Beckham Jr. took his talents to Baltimore over the offseason, and Lamar Jackson was a huge reason why he joined the Ravens.
However, it wasn’t always guaranteed Jackson was going to remain with the franchise that drafted him. Jackson requested a trade earlier this off-season, but Baltimore was able to get him to ink a lucrative contract extension. Now, there’s no friction between the two sides, and Beckham watched it happen in real-time.
“You know listen, you know, you’ve worked your entire life. You feel like you’ve done so much. I’ve personally been in the places where you feel like you’ve done so much for an organization, and this is a business and we get all that, but I think, you know not speaking for him, he feels like he’s done so much for this place, and obviously we’re all playing to get paid, and to be able to take care of your family forever. I think he just felt like it was his time,” Beckham explained, via The Rich Eisen Show. “He also not only — it’s (not) just about getting paid like, he’s a guy, as I’ve been around him, he wants to win. He wants to win a championship. That’s all he talks about. He wants to win a Super Bowl. I feel like this is something that he dreamed of as a child.
“I think that’s probably where the frustration lies. Between the emotions of, as a human, how you feel when you do something, you feel like you do so much for someone and it’s not being paid back in return. It’s not easy for humans to handle that, in any setting. So I feel like that’s all it was. If I were to speak on his behalf, it’s just that he feels like he deserves X-Y-Z, and you know, he also wants to take care of his family, and on the other end, you know they have to do their due diligence, and hold up on their end too.”
While rumors swirled of a possible Jackson trade, Beckham knew that both sides recognized the best fit for both sides was to keep Jackson in Baltimore, and he believes a Super Bowl could be in their future.
“I just think both sides coming together was obviously going to be the best for both sides, and I’m just happy that all that’s out the way, and we’re a couple days away from — I mean, I’ve been thinking about this for a long, long time,” stated the veteran wide receiver. “I had to sit out last year, watch everyone have fun. Which is great, because I’m happy for those guys. But I can’t help but miss playing football. I’ve dedicated so much of my life to this game.
“So I’m just happy we’re here now, and I’ll tell you this, I’ve been around and seen what it takes. Obviously only won one championship. But been in that atmosphere to understand how a team looks like that wins it. I don’t think that there’s a piece missing here to where this team can’t be competing for a championship.”
Time will tell how Odell Beckham Jr. and Lamar Jackson gel in Baltimore, but the Ravens could be a sneaky team in 2023, the star wide receiver certainly thinks so.