Odell Beckham Jr. controversy timeline: Revisiting OBJ’s weird, wild incidents with Giants, Browns and Rams

After being selected by the Giants with the 12th pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, Odell Beckham Jr. wasted no time proving just how special he could be.

In his first season in New York, Beckham caught 91 passes for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns, becoming a Pro Bowl player as a 22-year-old rookie. He also earned Pro Bowl nominations in 2015 and 2016, posting nearly 200 receptions for 2,817 yards and 23 touchdowns in those two seasons.

While no one should question Beckham’s talent and productivity in the right setting, he has found his name in headlines for other things as well. During his stints with the Giants, Browns and Rams, he has been no stranger to controversy.

Here’s a closer look at some of the most infamous incidents from Beckham’s NFL career.

Odell Beckham Jr. Timeline: The Giants Years (2014-19)

Beckham’s one-on-one rivalry with Panthers cornerback Josh Norman turned ugly, as the two stars shot each other and were called for unnecessary roughness several times during a Week 15 game. Beckham was suspended for one game after land a dangerous helmet-to-helmet blow on Norman.

During a week 3 game against the Washington football team, Beckham got into a fight with a kick net and lost.

Later in the season, Beckham made his peace with the net, kissing him after catching a touchdown pass against the Packers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gJKB57gj04

He then went a step further, proposing kicking the net after a game-winning touchdown reception against the Ravens. (The network gave Beckham the answer he wanted, apparently.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0QDxWyN5jM

Ah yes, the infamous boat photo. Before the Giants’ wild-card matchup against the Packers, Beckham and some of his New York teammates traveled to Miami. The Giants lost to the Packers and haven’t made the playoffs since the photo below hit social media.

Another Beckham touchdown celebration made waves in the Giants’ Week 3 game against the Eagles, as he walked on all fours and raised his leg to imitate a dog urinating on the field. He later explained that the celebration was a response to President Donald Trump calling protesting NFL players “sons of bitches.”

A viral video showed Beckham in Paris with a model and what appeared to be a white substance. A team interested in acquiring Beckham hired a private investigator to track him down and investigate drug rumors. According to ESPN’s Seth Wickershambut the investigator’s report “did not set off alarm bells.”

Odell Beckham Jr. timeline: The Browns years (2019-2021)

The Giants traded Beckham and Olivier Vernon to the Browns for Jabrill Peppers, Kevin Zeitler and a first- and third-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.

In his Browns debut, Beckham garnered the attention of the NFL world not because of his game, but because of his clothing. During the Week 1 competition against the Titans, he was seen wearing a Richard Mille watch valued at nearly $190,000. That marked the beginning of several uniform-related issues throughout the season.

In a Week 4 battle against the Ravens, Beckham got into a fight with Marlon Humphrey. The Baltimore cornerback argued that Beckham should have been ejected for throwing a punch, but Cleveland coach Freddie Kitchens believed Humphrey was trying to choke the wide receiver.

Beckham was seen on the sidelines arguing with Kitchens during the Week 16 loss to the Ravens. After the match, Beckham said he was upset with officials, not Kitchens, because he received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for a touchdown celebration he had thrown earlier in the season. The Browns fired Kitchens after the team finished 6-10.

After watching LSU win the college football national championship, Beckham appeared to hand out large amounts of cash to Tigers players on the field. According to reports, received a two-year suspension from school facilities as part of LSU’s self-imposed sanctions.

In addition to the postgame money scandal, Beckham faced a simple assault charge after he was seen on video butt-butting a police officer in the LSU locker room. Beckham’s attorney later said the arrest warrant had been rescinded because the officer no longer wanted to pursue the case.

Beckham’s father, Odell Beckham Sr., started the trade rumors by posting a video of Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield constantly missing a Beckham Jr. Lakers star LeBron James only added fuel to the fire by tweeting his support for Beckham Jr. with the hashtag #FreeOBJ. Despite the speculation, Cleveland kept Beckham Jr. until the trade deadline.

Beckham was excused from practice, prompting more questions about his status in Cleveland. After both parties agreed to part ways, the Browns placed Beckham on waivers on November 8.

Odell Beckham Jr. timeline: The Rams years (2021-current)

Beckham signed with the Rams on November 11. He reportedly agreed to a one-year deal worth up to $4.25 million.

During the Rams’ Week 17 matchup against the Ravens, Beckham hit Chuck Clark in the butt after the Baltimore safety intercepted a pass from Matthew Stafford. Beckham was not singled out on the play.

Beckham underwent random drug tests after the Rams’ win over the Cardinals as a wild card, but he didn’t feel the procedure was so random. He tweeted that he had been tested more often since his success in Los Angeles. He had previously complained about how often he had been tested while playing for the Giants and Browns.