A free-agent wide receiver might be expected to jump at the chance to play with the NFL’s passing leader. But Odell Beckham Jr. said he hesitated in signing with the Miami Dolphins because of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
The former Alabama All-American led the NFL with 4,624 passing yards in 2023. What’s not to like if you’re a pass-catcher?
But Beckham thought twice about joining the Dolphins because Tagovailoa throws with his left hand.
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“I definitely was a little hesitant at first because he’s a lefty, and I think I shied away from lefties,” Beckham said on Wednesday. “But now that I think about it, I’ve been throwing with Jarvis Landry since I was 15 years old. One of my trainers is left-handed.
“They said he just throws different. They said the accuracy and the spin, they’re like it’s not really like he’s left-handed. Just watching his film, there’s a lot of great things that he’s been doing. He did it at Alabama; did it here with the Dolphins. Like I said, I’ve just seen an opportunity when I really watched the film, when I really sat down and didn’t look at a destination. I looked at myself in the mirror and a place for me and my career. I’ve just seen a lot of opportunity here.”
Last week, Beckham signed a one-year, $3 million contract with Miami eight weeks after becoming an unrestricted free agent. He’ll have the opportunity to earn more by meeting statistical incentives.
Beckham joins a receivers room that already includes Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
A former West Alabama standout, Hill led the NFL in receiving yards with 1,799 and tied for the league lead in receiving touchdowns with 13 in 2023 as he made first-team All-Pro for the second straight season.
While Hill has recorded four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, it’s three seasons in a row for Waddle, a former Alabama standout.
“I got to go get back on the track, I guess, for a second, because there’s some speed down here on this team,” Beckham said. “I’ve never shied away from competition or anything like that. I just see – Coach (Mike McDaniel) and I were talking about it. He was saying that on third downs, they were getting a lot of doubling on both of them. There’s just a lot of room for opportunity looking at it. I think that it’ll be a great matchup. I think we all have different skillsets, but all the same skillsets in one – all people who make plays. I’m just looking forward to the opportunity.”
Beckham became the second player in NFL history to record 4,000 receiving yards in his first three seasons, joining Randy Moss in 2016. After injuries limited him to four games in 2017, Beckham came back with two more 1,000-yard seasons.
But in the past four seasons, Beckham has 102 receptions for 1,421 yards and 11 touchdowns in 35 regular-season games. He missed the entire 2022 season after sustaining a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the Los Angeles Rams’ 23-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI.
“For me at this place in my life and my career, I haven’t been the No. 1 (receiver) in a minute,” Beckham said. “You could go look at targets, you could go look at anything, that’s not really where I’ve been at, so just understanding your role and how can you be the very best at that role, maximize those opportunities. Don’t look for more or less. Just stay within that present moment, and I think you’ll find a way to succeed.”
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.