Odell Beckham Jr. Considered NFL Retirement After Knee Injury in Rams' Super Bowl Win

Facing recovery from an ACL tear for the second time in as many years, Odell Beckham Jr. said he seriously contemplated retiring after winning Super Bowl LVI with the Los Angeles Rams.

"I went through a lot the last couple of years, and I thought it was over," Beckham told Dan Pompei of The Athletic. "I didn't want to get back up on the horse and do the same song and dance all over again."

Beckham sat out the entire 2022 season as he recovered from the ACL tear, which took place at some point during the 2021 campaign. It was initially believed Beckham tore his knee during the Rams' Super Bowl win over the Cincinnati Bengals, but he said last July that he played injured for the "whole back half" of that season.

After bursting onto the scene in 2014, Beckham had one of the greatest starts to a career for a wide receiver in NFL history. He racked up three Pro Bowl selections and two All-Pro teams while compiling 288 receptions for 4,122 yards and 35 touchdowns.

Over the subsequent six seasons, Beckham totaled 3,245 yards and 21 touchdowns on his 243 receptions. He missed one full season (2022) and the vast majority of two others (2017 and 2020) due to injuries. When on the field, Beckham has failed to produce at the same level he did in his early 20s, due in large part to his struggles to recover from injuries and shaky quarterback play.

The Ravens' decision to sign Beckham to a one-year, $15 million contract was seen as an overpay by most evaluators due to his recent lack of production. Beckham himself has admitted the struggles have weighed on him mentally, indicating he's heading into 2023 as a potential retirement year.

"I'm thinking like this is my last year," Beckham said. "I'm going to give it my all this year. And then if something happens after that, we can go from there."

Beckham will be playing with the best quarterback of his career in Lamar Jackson, so we'll get a good idea of whether he has anything left in the tank early on next season. If he does, odds are Beckham will be able to cash in again next offseason and won't be thinking much about walking away.