The non-contact knee injury that cost Odell Beckham Jr. more than half of Sunday’s Super Bowl LVI win over the Cincinnati Bengals is believed to be a torn ACL, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Monday.
Such an injury would mark Beckham's second ACL tear to the same left knee, as he missed nine games after injuring his knee in Week 7 of the 2020 NFL season.
Beckham had made a significant first-half impact in the Rams’ 23-20 win, catching passes of 35 and 17 yards, including the game's first touchdown, on three targets. It was on his final target when he injured his left knee with just under four minutes remaining in the first half. Beckham was injured on Matthew Stafford’s only incomplete pass to him, and he was helped to the sideline by trainers. He was ruled out for the game early in the second half, but returned to the sideline to watch the game with his teammates.
“There was a moment I was in the back room and they told me I was done, I couldn't play. And I had to come back out there and be a part of this because it's so much bigger than myself,” Beckham said, via CBS Sports. “And these boys pulled through and made it happen."
The injury marks a bitterly disappointing end to what was a tumultuous season for Beckham, who fell out of favor with the Cleveland Browns in early November and was released having caught just half his targets (17 of 34) with zero touchdowns in six games. Signed by the Rams shortly after his release, Beckham caught five TD passes in seven regular-season starts, and had given the team increased production in the playoffs with 19 catches for 236 yards in three postseason games leading up to the Super Bowl.
With Beckham now entering free agency, it remains to be seen whether the Rams can or are willing to bring him back in 2022, as well as what the three-time Pro Bowler’s rehabilitation timetable will look like.
The Rams have just over $14 million more in salary on the books than the 2022 salary cap will allow, according to Over The Cap. Beckham said Friday that he would be willing to accept a pay cut to stay with the team.