Odell Beckham Jr.: Kevin O'Connell wanted me to be here

Published October 7, 2026 06:56 PM Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell and new Vikings receiver Odell Beckham Jr. spent time together with the Rams, and they both have a Super Bowl ring from it.It was O’Connell’s influence that brought Beckham to Minnesota.Meeting with reporters on Wednesday, Beckham said he had other options after being released by the Giants. He chose the Vikings.“It seemed as if he wanted me to be here,” Beckham said as to O’Connell. “And that was expressed to me. And that feels good. . . . It always feels better when you’re doing it for somebody who, you know, you feel like their heart is there for it as well.”With the Giants, his return always felt more like a feel-good story at best, and a publicity stunt at worst. Once the games started, it wasn’t sustainable. Minnesota doesn’t have any marketing or P.R. reason to add Beckham. It’s all about making the team better. And O’Connell, who has had opportunities to sign Beckham in the past but didn’t, apparently believes that, in this specific moment, Beckham can make a difference.The first opportunity could come as soon as Sunday, in a game in his home state of Louisiana against the Saints.