Beckham explains knee situation, why he waited for surgery, why he joined Dolphins and more

When Odell Beckham Jr. began considering his next career move many months ago, the original plan was to join a team at some point during the season, after undergoing a minor knee procedure.

But then he developed a bond with Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel and an appreciation for his offensive mind. And Dolphins players Duke Riley and Jalen Ramsey “told me how special this place was.”

So the three-time Pro Bowl receiver switched gears and signed with the Dolphins in May on a one-year contract that will pay him $3 million in base salary with another $5.25 million in incentives.

He signed with the Dolphins fully aware that he probably wouldn’t be ready for the start of the season after a “small cleanup” in his knee, a revelation that Beckham shared for the first time on Thursday after participating in his first practice since the team convened for training camp in late July.

“It was very exciting for me,... humbling,” Beckham, 31, said of getting back on the field Thursday. “I felt very grateful because I remember what it was like when I feel like I couldn’t walk during the offseason. So I sure couldn’t run, couldn’t work out.

“To be back out there with these guys, that’s what I’ve been waiting on. I felt pretty good. The old guy can still run a little bit. I feel obviously a bit out of football shape in a sense. Like everything else, it comes with repetition. I’m excited to get back out there, whenever that is, to come up with a game plan to ease me back into it a little bit.”

Beckham referred questions about whether he will play Sunday in New England to McDaniel, who has been noncommittal on the subject. The Dolphins could opt to bring him back Oct. 20 at Indianapolis, after their bye week. The Dolphins have 19 more days during which they must move him from the physically unable to perform list to the 53-man roster.

Beckham declined to say when he had the knee procedure that ultimately sidelined him for all of training camp and the first four games of the season.

He said he waited awhile to have the surgery because “ending the season, there was a lot going on in my personal life, businesses, all of that. It had me in a place where football wasn’t exactly the priority. I have a son; he’s 2 years old. He’s growing up fast and I don’t have that much time… to spend with him. So football wasn’t exactly the first and foremost thing in my mind.

“Going through free agency, my agent went back and forth whether we do [the surgery] right after the season or do we wait until free agency happens. I waited too late.”

He said McDaniel was “one of the main reasons I came here” we “kind of had an understanding I’m probably not going to be ready” for the start of the regular season. “He ensured me that was fine [and] just try to get back as fast as you can.”

Did he believe he was ready to start the regular season on time?

“I don’t know if you could say ready [Week 1], but I was ready to have my training camp,” he said. “It’s harder to be on PUP knowing I can’t practice with the team [or] play in the first four games. I’m having to do work here and then leave and then go do work with trainers.”

He said beginning the season on PUP was a “selfless act. 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. That’s what was best for this team. It was an easy decision for us.”

During a reflective 14-minute conversation with reporters, Beckham discussed his long injury history, especially with his left knee.

“I’ve been through a lot in my career,” he said. “Starting with my ankle shattered in 2017. My doctor was like, ‘a lot of people don’t come back from this’ to sports hernia surgery to tearing my ACL to not playing with an ACL the whole year to tearing it [again] in the Super Bowl.

“To be back on the field, it was a lot of hard work. People don’t know what I’ve gone through with this knee because I don’t come out and make excuses for myself. When my career is said and done, I wanted to be the best receiver but my story is going to be more about resiliency and showing kids if there’s something you want, you’ve always got to fight for it. You always can find your way back.”

What does he say to those who say he’s here just for the paycheck?

“It sounds messed up, but I’m not getting paid a crazy amount of dollars,” he answered. “I could be making more if I had more time elsewhere. A lot of my contract is incentives based. I have to reach certain numbers to be able to get that money.

“Respectfully, I don’t really care for opinions. I’ve grown so much past that. You could be the most perfect person in the world, say the most perfect quotes and there is someone out there who is going to hate on you. No point in getting caught up in that. No point in worrying about someone’s opinion. Bro, I’ll never see some of you [critics] in my life. You have an account with zero quotes and 89 followers. Congrats. Enjoy your life. I’m going to enjoy mine. I’m so far past someone’s opinion of me. I know who I am.”

Beckham noted Dolphins quarterback Tyler Huntley threw Beckham his first touchdown pass during their time with the Ravens, and the two have chemistry. If a player is joining a team during the season, “quarterback is by far the hardest [to learn],” Beckham said. “This is one of the most complex offenses in the league.”

Though Beckham hasn’t been able to practice with Tua Tagovailoa, who’s in concussion protocol, they’ve spent time together talking about “life, things outside of football. He’s a great human. We’re all wanting him to get back healthy.”

And Beckham is relishing the thought of playing with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. “These guys are tremendous, just special talents,” Beckham said. “Coach and I talked. I came here to be able to help them out, take some of the load off of them and let them do their thing.

“There’s a reason I came to this offense. It’s because I’ve seen what they did all last year, two games away from being the [No. 1] seed.”