Dolphins' Odell Beckham Jr. Says PUP List Stint Was a 'Selfless Act' Amid Knee Injury

Odell Beckham Jr. told reporters on Thursday that the Miami Dolphins knew he wouldn't be ready for the start of the 2024 season and said he chose to go onto the Physically Unable to Perform List—which meant he couldn't play for at least the first four games of the season—to keep a roster spot open for another player while he returned from a knee injury.

"For me, it was a selfless act," he said. "Because if I'm not on the PUP list, I'm taking up a roster spot. Which means I'm taking someone else's job and I'm not doing anything. It's not really a good feeling to have. So it was what was best for this team, this organization."

The 31-year-old noted that "football wasn't exactly a priority in my life" following the 2023 season, due to a number of things happening off the field, and that his original plan was to join a team at some point during the 2024 season. But in talking to Mike McDaniel and other players Beckham knew on the Dolphins, the veteran wideout chose to sign in Miami, noting that McDaniel was OK with Beckham likely not being ready to start the 2024 campaign.

The wideout returned to practice this week, opening up a 21-day window to be added to the active roster. If he isn't on the active roster once that window closes, he'll be placed on season-ending injured reserve.

As for whether he'll play this Sunday against the New England Patriots, Beckham said that decision would be made by McDaniel.

"Odell's looked great," Miami receivers coach Wes Welker told reporters. "You know, just in some of the routes on air and different things like that. He looks like the Odell that we've seen. We're getting him out there, getting him moving around, chemistry with all of the guys in the room. And with the quarterbacks. And just continue to work the process."

Beckham was a three-time Pro Bowler in his first three NFL seasons with the New York Giants and was one of the burgeoning superstars in football. But a falling out in both New York and later Cleveland, paired with a long list of injuries, put to a halt his ascendancy.

Last season, he appeared in 14 games for the Baltimore Ravens, posting 35 catches for 565 yards and three touchdowns.

For the Dolphins, the hope is that he can settle into the third receiver role behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, adding another weapon to a team that has started just 1-3 and has already suffered major injuries to key players like quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and edge-rusher Jaelan Phillips.