Wideout Odell Beckham Jr. debuted for the Baltimore Ravens Sunday and immediately endeared himself to the faithful by paying tribute to legend and Hall of Famer Ray Lewis.
During player introductions, Beckham ran out of the tunnel before providing Ravens fans with his best impression of the "squirrel dance" Lewis made famous.
ODELL pic.twitter.com/Zwp294EE1c
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) September 10, 2023
Beckham isn't going to win any dance contests and his rendition certainly wasn't perfect, but it was better than former cornerback Marcus Peters' attempt against the Cincinnati Bengals last year.
We personally can't stop watching this @marcuspeters sack celebration
— NFL (@NFL) October 10, 2022
: #CINvsBAL on NBC
: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/Izvnl1kmB4 pic.twitter.com/tZOqkg6yeU
While Ravens rookie wideout Zay Flowers shined (nine catches, 78 yards), much like Beckham in his heyday, the veteran still flashed some of that old-school style in Baltimore's 25-9 win over the Houston Texans.
Targeted three times by quarterback Lamar Jackson, Beckham caught two balls for 37 yards, averaging 18.5 yards per reception. One of those catches came midway through the fourth quarter, leading to a Ravens field goal.
On third and 6 from the Houston 38, Jackson lofted a deep pass, which Beckham caught over his shoulder for a 29-yard gain. Five plays later, Justin Tucker booted a 39-yarder, putting the game away for Baltimore.
LAMAR TO ODELL FIREEEE
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) September 10, 2023
Tune in on CBS/@ParamountPlus pic.twitter.com/I7f3OaIYdU
While he's not likely to be the Ravens' offensive leader, Beckham is looking at this season as a "reset" of his career. Beckham, who hadn't played since tearing his ACL in Super Bowl LVI while with the Los Angeles Rams, said heading into Week 1 with the Ravens felt reminiscent of his rookie year.
Beckham didn't significantly impact the game on Sunday. But after 18 months away from football, dealing with the pain of surgery and rehab, Beckham is back. And regardless of his output against the Texans, it was a meaningful first step.
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