Odell Beckham Jr.'s catch has makings of a rising star
New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. makes a one-handed catch for a touchdown against Dallas Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr in the second quarter of an NFL game, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2014, in East Rutherford, N.J. Credit: AP / Kathy Willens
At first, it didn't seem possible.
As Eli Manning's second-quarter pass floated down toward Odell Beckham, who was being jostled down the right sideline by Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr, the Giants' rookie receiver stuck his right hand up to try and make a play. That's all Beckham had because Carr had grabbed hold of his left arm.
By the time Beckham fell to the ground in the end zone, simple logic -- if not physics -- told you there was no way Beckham could have caught the ball. Just not possible with Carr draped all over him and the ball nearly going over Beckham's head.
Just. Not. Possible.
But Beckham quickly got up, held the ball aloft for a few seconds, and held up his arms to welcome the disbelieving, yet exhilarating cheers from the MetLife Stadium crowd. He had made one of the most incredible catches in NFL history.
Maybe the greatest ever.
Some will take David Tyree's improbable catch in Super Bowl XLVII, when he cradled Manning's pass to his helmet in the final stages of the breathtaking victory over the Patriots. The moment was huge, and Tyree's sheer will was unmistakable. But in terms of pure athletic grace and brilliance, Beckham's moment of wonder was just as awe-inspiring. Perhaps more so.
MetLife was buzzing, all 80,520 fans, whether they were rooting for the Giants or Cowboys. Wherever you were, the feeling was surely the same. Replays captured the magnificence of the play even more so. And how about the still shot that showed Beckham had actually made the catch with just three fingers on one hand.
The press box was buzzing, too. No matter how many games you've covered, you knew this was one of those special moments you will always remember.
"That's the best catch I've ever seen," said Vinny DiTrani, the venerable NFL columnist from the Bergen Record. DiTrani has followed the sport for more than half a century.
A much younger generation was equally impressed.
"Man, I just witnessed the greatest catch ever possibly by Odell Beckham Jr! WOW!!!!" basketball superstar LeBron James tweeted.
And Beckham's teammate, Victor Cruz, who watched on television while recovering from a knee injury, tweeted, "That's the best catch I've ever seen."
Beckham was aware of the magic qualities of the catch, but offered a different take.
"I hope it's not the greatest play of all time," he said. "I hope I can make more."
As big an impact as the catch might have produced, Beckham was nevertheless left with an empty feeling. After all, the Giants lost, 31-28, after blowing leads of 21-10 and 28-24.
"It really means nothing without a win," he said. "You still go home, and you lost. Losing is never fun. I don't accept losing. We just have to find a way to put the pieces together."
Manning said: "Both those catches were pretty spectacular. When you throw as bad as that, they got to make a great catch."
"It was pretty spectacular to see [Beckham's] adjustment to the ball and getting held and just putting one hand up there and snagging it. That was pretty impressive. And also Tyree's catch under the circumstances of a Super Bowl and jumping up and a guy all over him and holding [the ball] onto his helmet."
Bob Glauber retired in 2022 after covering the NFL for nearly 40 years. He was selected in 2021 for the Bill Nunn Career Achievement Award by the Pro Football Writers of America, and is a three-time winner of the New York State Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. President of the PFWA for the 2018-20 seasons, he is the author of “The Forgotten First” and “Guts and Genius.”
