Mike McDaniel breaks silence on Odell Beckham Jr’s role in ‘struggling’ Dolphins offense
Miami Dolphins have activated Odell Beckham Jr to ‘questionable’ from ‘Physically Unable to Perform” list ahead of the Patriots game.
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Mike McDaniel, Odell Beckham Jr (Images via Imago)
The Miami Dolphins have officially taken wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. off the ‘Physically Unable to Perform (PUP)’ list ahead of their Week 5 match. The Dolphins are playing the equally struggling New England Patriots on Sunday in Foxborough.
The Florida-based outfit brought in Beckham Jr. in the offseason to be the team’s third wide receiver behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Beckham Jr. underwent knee surgery in the offseason and missed the first four games of the season. The Dolphins. reeling from the absence of their star quarterback. have lost three games in succession to land fourth in the AFC East behind the Patriots.
The 31-year-old veteran has voiced out his eagerness to play through their head coach Mike McDaniel. The coach spoke to the media regarding the team and their motivation to start winning after the string of bad news following them and Beckham Jr. wants to try and help them out.
On a team that is very motivated to win a football game, I think he’s eager to try to help do that.
Mike McDaniel said
Albeit being activated, McDaniel still doesn’t want to rush Beckham Jr. into a game. Amid his media availability on Friday, he spoke to reporters, saying that Beckham Jr. has been a good presence in the practice. He added that he would ease the wide receiver into the squad starting with a minimum workload on Sunday.
It was exciting to see him operate within the offense. He did a good job yesterday. He looked good. But me, being Year 3 as a head coach, I temper my excitement. I try to see how he feels and looks today after a little workload and then be responsible for the team, but it was a very positive day from that aspect for him.
Mike McDaniel remarked
Apart from OBJ, the struggling Dolphins have boosted their roster with a couple of additions. The Dolphins have signed Tim Boyle to the practice squad and elevated him to the active roster. The move comes in the wake of recently signed Tyler Huntley’s performance against the Tennessee Titans.
The #Dolphins are activating WR Odell Beckham Jr from the PUP list and he’ll play on Sunday against the #Patriots, per me and @TomPelissero.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 5, 2024
Beckham practiced fully all week, his first week back. Coach Mike McDaniel said: “On a team that is very motivated to win a football… pic.twitter.com/F6uS3PZso8
Boyle assumes the role of backup while Skylar Thompson is listed as “questionable.” The Dolphins have also elevated defensive back Nik Needham while downgrading cornerback Cam Smith (hamstring).
Odell Beckham Jr admits delay, points out surgery and personal life
Speaking to media, Beckham Jr. admitted that there has been a huge delay in his start. He pointed out that a lot was going in on his personal life, making the start so delayed. He added that it was a point when football wasn’t the top priority in his life.
It was a lot going on in my life — personal life, businesses, all of that. It just kind of had me in a place where football wasn’t exactly a priority. I have a son, he’s 2 years old — don’t get much time to spend with him. I feel like he’s growing up fast and I’m not having that much time. So, football wasn’t exactly the first and foremost thing in my mind.
Odell Beckham Jr. told the media
Odell also noted that his name on the PUP list was an act of selflessness, attributing it to a part he did to prioritize the overall team’s success. The 31-year-old Louisianian added that his presence on the roster would have derailed someone else’s plan to play.
Beckham Jr. is playing for his fifth team in his NFL career. He was drafted in 2013 by the New York Giants. Since then, he has geared up for the Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Rams, and Baltimore Ravens, until landing in Miami. In his 97 regular season career starts, he has recorded 7,932 receiving yards with 59 touchdowns.
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Mohammed Bazim
(425 Articles Published)