odell beckham jr.
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Odell Beckham Jr. has a Super Bowl ring, and Giants fans should be happy for the wideout.

March 2019: when Odell Beckham Jr.‘s five-year tenure with the Giants concluded.

The infamous “we didn’t sign him to trade him” quote from then-Giants general manager Dave Gettleman led to DG sending OBJ to Cleveland for draft picks and safety Jabrill Peppers (pretty contradictory, I know).

In the time since then, Beckham has dealt with various injuries, the dysfunction of the Browns organization, needing to play with Baker Mayfield, and an overall ugly tenure in Cleveland that ended with a midseason release.

That release was only three months ago. Now, Beckham is a world champion with the Los Angeles Rams, and Giants fans should be ecstatic for the former Big Blue star.

Let me get this off my chest: hating on OBJ just because he’s a former Giant is super bizarre. Believing he’s just a primadonna drama queen who adores attention is a lazy take that Giants fans use to mask the fact they wish he was still in New York (it gives off “you’re breaking up with me? Whatever…I was sick of you anyway” type of vibes).

I guarantee you every Giants fan would take Beckham back (at the right price) in a heartbeat.

“But Ryan…he wanted out of New York!”

Okay…and?

The Giants won a total of eight games in Beckham’s final two seasons in East Rutherford. At the time of his trade, they were multiple years late on the parting of ways with Eli Manning and were in the midst of another failed head coaching tenure (the one of Pat Shurmur).

The organization, at the time, was so poorly run. It was tough to believe anyone really wanted to be a part of what was going on at MetLife Stadium and the Quest Diagnostics Training Center.

“But Ryan…he was a distraction!”

Because he danced in the end zone? Because of the kicking net incident that didn’t end up becoming a big deal at all? Because he didn’t follow the “Giants way,” which is wildly outdated and hasn’t exactly led to any success in the last half-decade?

You could argue Golden Tate was more of a distraction thanks to the “throw me the damn ball” fiasco, the October 2020 postgame fight with Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey, and the immediate four-game suspension at the beginning of the 2019 season due to a positive PED test.

The bottom line is OBJ was an absolute star when he was in the Big Apple, regardless of the team’s overall success (or lack thereof). From the one-handed catches, slant routes that somehow led to touchdowns, and general excitement he projected onto others — he was must-watch television.

Hating on him because he is no longer a Giant and (very reasonably) wanted out of New York is weird. Be ecstatic for the man. He’s dealt with injuries, poor quarterback play, organizational dysfunction — you name it. Now, he’s a Super Bowl champion.

Great for Odell.

Ryan Honey is a staff writer and host of the Wide Right Podcast.