On Monday afternoon, Odell Beckham Jr. was in the middle of a Zoom call with reporters when the moderator informed him that a “special guest” was next in line.
For a few seconds, after the anonymous buddy greeted Odell Beckham Jr, he was confused about who it was. When he realized who had surprised him, a brilliant smile sprang on his bearded face.
Odell Beckham Jr And Jarvis Landry Have Been Friends Since They Were 16
Jarvis Landry, Beckham’s close friend and former Cleveland Browns teammate, interrupted the Zoom conversation to wish the Los Angeles Rams receiver success in Super Bowl LVI on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals. Landry opened the poignant dialogue by reminding Beckham that he deserved the opportunity to play on the largest platform in the NFL.
Landry’s words of encouragement nearly brought Beckham to tears because he knows better than anybody the tumultuous but ultimately redeeming journey Beckham has gone to reach his first Super Bowl. Before entering the 2014 NFL draft as seniors, Landry and Beckham were the top receiving combo in the SEC. After five years apart, the two reconnected in Cleveland for two and a half rough seasons.
When Beckham’s gravity-defying one-handed catch versus Dallas rocketed the New York Giants rookie to superstardom, Landry was there to keep him grounded. Beckham’s Instagram following exploded into the millions almost overnight, and celebrities like LeBron James and Michael Jordan began texting him.
Landry was someone Odell Beckham Jr could confide in after that, as the former NFL Rookie of the Year battled to live up to his reputation and deal with the continuous attention from the New York media. A Miami boat excursion he had with pals days before a 2017 playoff game against Green Bay provided daily drama. The Giants suffered a crushing defeat, and Beckham bore the brunt of the blame, fair or not.
When Odell Beckham Jr’s Cleveland tenure quickly turned sour, Landry was one of his few surviving pals. When Beckham was on the verge of becoming an NFL outcast, when he was viewed as a fading player with a selfish streak, and when the Browns couldn’t get rid of him, Landry stuck up for him.
