INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. left Super Bowl 56 after suffering what appeared to be a non-contact injury to his left knee — the same knee that he shredded during the 2020 regular season.
The Rams announced late in the first half that Beckham was questionable to return with the knee injury, but that seems awfully ambitious based on his limp and other contextual clues. Beckham did not return in the second half. The Rams officially ruled him out late in the third quarter.
Update 02/13/22: The Los Angeles Rams have announced that Odell Beckham Jr. is officially OUT for the remainder of the game.
The latest on Odell Beckham Jr.’s knee injury
Beckham got hurt with just under 4 minutes left in the first half and the Rams leading 13-10. On second-and-9 from the Rams’ 45-yard line, quarterback Matthew Stafford threw slightly behind Beckham, who injured the knee at some point in the route. He immediately grabbed for his leg, and the pass fell incomplete.
After spending a couple of moments on the field, receiving medical attention, Beckham hobbled to the Rams’ medical tent for further evaluation. It didn’t take the trainers long to determine Beckham needed additional testing. After less than 5 minutes in the tent, he made his way to the locker room.
Beckham Jr. scores a touchdown before leaving the field in Super Bowl
Prior to the injury, OBJ had caught his previous 2 targets for 52 yards, including a 17-yard touchdown catch on Mike Hilton in the first quarter.
Beckham had become a major part of the Rams’ offense since signing midseason, particularly after Robert Woods tore his ACL in practice.
Beckham missed the last nine games of the 2020 season and the first two of 2021 recovering from his own ligament tear, suffered when he was with the Browns. OBJ had 27 catches for 305 yards and 5 touchdowns in eight games with the Rams.
He wasn’t the only injured Rams player Sunday night. Eric Weddle played through an apparent pec injury but struggled at times to wrap up with the full use of only one arm. Weddle, 37, came out of retirement last month to help a Rams secondary decimated by injury.