BEREA, Ohio — Odell Beckham Jr. pushed back Wednesday on reports that he wants out of Cleveland and said he’s planning to be with the Browns in 2020.
“I’m not going anywhere,” the star wide receiver said. “I’ll be here. We’ll figure this thing out. It’s just too special to leave.”
Two weeks ago, Beckham was curiously vague about his future in Cleveland, saying that “no one knows what the future holds, like tomorrow.” Then that Dec. 8 Sunday before the Browns played the Cincinnati Bengals, Fox Sports reported during its NFL pregame show that Beckham had been telling opposing players and coaches to “come get me” out of Cleveland.
Beckham initially declined to talk about that report, and others, fueling more speculation. But Wednesday, he finally quashed it.
“Yeah, we’re going to be here,” Beckham said when asked about returning in 2020 specifically. “We’re going to do it again, and we’re going to be what we felt like we should’ve been and correct all the little mistakes and all the if-we-would’ve-did-this games. It’s just too good.”
In his first year with the Browns, Beckham is having the worst statistical season of his career, excluding his injury-riddled 2017 with the New York Giants. At 6-8, the Browns are on the verge of being mathematically eliminated from the playoff picture going into Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens.
Beckham has been battling hip and groin injuries all year, limiting him in games and in how much he can practice. He has now gone eight consecutive games without topping 100 receiving yards, the longest such streak of his career.
Yet despite the tough year, Beckham said he is committed to Cleveland beyond this season and that he “didn’t buy a house to sell it.”
“I know people have said I didn’t sign him to trade him before, but I didn’t really buy a house here to up and leave it, and do renovations on the house and build a doghouse,” said Beckham, presumably referencing Giants general manager Dave Gettleman saying back in January that he didn’t sign Beckham to trade him, and then trading him anyway two months later. “It’s just done. It’s time to just put it to bed. I’m going to be here. Nothing more to talk about.”
Beckham wasn’t the only Cleveland wide receiver to make strong comments Wednesday.
Teammate Jarvis Landry fired back on an NFL Network report that he was telling Arizona players “come get me” during a 38-24 loss to the Cardinals.
“I would never say nothing like that,” said Landry, who Tuesday was voted to the Pro Bowl. “I would never look to another team during a game especially that we’re losing and say ‘come get me’ with a worse record than we have. It’s all about clicks now, and I get it, but at the end of the day, don’t try to slander my name.”
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