Odell Beckham Jr.

Fresh off winning Super Bowl LVI with the Los Angeles Rams, wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. shared some big news Wednesday.

Beckham posted a photo of himself and girlfriend Lauren Wood on Instagram announcing he had become a father and had successful knee surgery over the course of a few days (h/t ESPN's Lindsey Thiry):

Wood gave birth to baby Zydn last Thursday, and OBJ had knee surgery Tuesday.

During the Rams' 23-20 Super Bowl win over the Cincinnati Bengals, Beckham suffered a torn ACL, causing him to miss the second half of the contest.

Prior to getting injured, Beckham was trending toward having a big game. He had two grabs for 52 yards on three targets and scored the opening touchdown of the game.

L.A.'s offense stagnated without Beckham, and it took a one-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Matthew Stafford to wide receiver Cooper Kupp with 1:25 remaining in the fourth quarter to put the Rams ahead for good.

The 2021 season was a roller-coaster ride for the 29-year-old Beckham, as he began the year with the Cleveland Browns.

After what Browns general manager Andrew Berry called "a level of frustration that exists that just really makes it difficult to have a productive reconciliation," the Browns released Beckham after failing to find a trade partner before the Nov. 2 deadline.

The Rams then signed Beckham, and his addition became a crucial one as No. 2 wideout Robert Woods tore his ACL and was lost for the season immediately afterward.

Beckham established himself as the No. 2 option behind Kupp, and he racked up 27 receptions for 305 yards and five touchdowns in eight regular-season games for the Rams.

OBJ was even better in the playoffs, registering 21 catches for 288 yards and two touchdowns in four games.

Even though he was unable to finish the Super Bowl, the three-time Pro Bowler played a huge role in getting the Rams to the big game and putting them ahead early in the contest.

Beckham's future is uncertain since he is set to hit free agency while recovering from a torn ACL.

The Rams don't need to re-sign Beckham since receivers Kupp, Woods and Van Jefferson are all returning in 2022, but given how OBJ changed the dynamic of the offense, perhaps L.A. would be willing to keep him and bring him along slowly in his injury recovery.

As he heads for free agency, Odell Beckham Jr.'s knee injury is casting a cloud over what kind of contract he'll receive on the open market. Should he be unable to play entirely in 2022, the three-time Pro Bowler might still collect a paycheck nonetheless.

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reported the NFL and NFL Players Association are currently in arbitration over whether players in Beckham's situation are eligible for injury protection:

Ordinarily, a player with an expiring contract is not eligible for injury protection. Beckham signed a one-year deal with the Rams after being released, at his request, by the Browns. However, there’s an unresolved question that would be relevant to Beckham. When he suffered the injury, he technically had a contract with future years remaining. Yes, those future years were a device for spreading cap money and will automatically disappear. Still, at the time he tore his ACL, Beckham had a contract beyond 2021.

Should the arbitrator rule in favor of the players' union, Beckham would receive $1.12 million in injury protection. The decision would also have consequences for others around the league.

The MMQB's Albert Breer reported Feb. 14 the Los Angeles Rams were concerned Beckham suffered a torn ACL in their Super Bowl LVI victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.

Prior to the injury, the 29-year-old rebuilt a lot of the value he had lost during his two-and-a-half years with the Cleveland Browns. He caught 27 passes for 305 yards and five touchdowns in eight regular-season games with L.A. and was excellent (21 catches, 288 yards and two touchdowns) in the playoffs.

Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson reported in January he could command around $11 million or $12 million annually on his next contract. On the eve of the Super Bowl, ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported the Rams "are very optimistic" about re-signing him.

The timing of his knee injury throws Beckham's availability for the 2022 season into doubt, though. Even if he doesn't miss the whole year, he'll be in a race against the clock to return to 100 percent in time for Week 1.

Even if he hadn't gotten hurt, signing a one-year deal with the Rams or another team was arguably Beckham's best move. He could've parlayed another strong season into a bigger payday in 2023.

Now, it's difficult to envision a team being willing to put a short-term contract on the table if he can't play all 17 games.

Gaining injury protection could provide Beckham with a form of leverage in negotiations this offseason. If he doesn't like what's on offer, he can point to the $1.12 million waiting for him and explain he's willing to sit out 2022 before reevaluating the free-agency landscape in 2023.

No one threw the Lombardi Trophy, but there were plenty of viral moments Wednesday when the Rams took to the streets of Los Angeles for their Super Bowl parade.

A shirtless Aaron Donald? Check.

Les Snead wearing a "f--k them draft picks" t-shirt? You got it.

Cooper Kupp in a Kobe jersey? Indeed.

Another tight end going Full Gronk? You bet.

The Rams and Los Angeles had plenty to celebrate with this being the first parade to take place in the city since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Dodgers and Lakers didn't join in on the fun, as suggested by LeBron James, but the Rams players and coaches made sure those in attendance got to see them at their highest spirits.

Even Odell Beckham Jr., recovering from an ACL tear suffered in the 23-20 win over the Bengals, got into the fracas and sprayed some champagne out to the fans.

Of course, when there is alcohol involved, it is very important to remain hydrated. If you don't believe me, or scientific data on the importance of hydration, maybe a man with a little bit of experience being overserved at a Super Bowl parade can convince you—or, hopefully, at least Matthew Stafford.

No. Seriously. Matthew. Some water. Please. 

In the midst of the celebration, though, the focus also started to shift forward. The Rams have a veteran-laden roster with several players set to hit free agency, highlighted by Beckham and linebacker Von Miller.

Perhaps the most important question facing the team this offseason is whether Donald will return. The future Hall of Famer openly questioned his future in football after winning the Super Bowl, but he seemed a little more open to a return Wednesday with the crowd—and coach Sean McVay—egging him on.

If the Rams are able to bring their veteran talent back—maybe jettisoning some more of those hated draft picks along the way—there could be another parade in L.A. a year from now. 

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is a Super Bowl champion, but it may have come at a significant cost.

The MMQB's Albert Breer reported Monday that the Rams are concerned he tore his ACL on Sunday.

Beckham suffered the injury during the Rams' Super Bowl win over the Cincinnati Bengals. He didn't return to the game after exiting during the second quarter. He collected two catches for 52 yards and one touchdown before the injury.

Durability has been a concern at times for the LSU product, who played just seven games during the 2020 campaign with the Cleveland Browns because of a torn left ACL. In 2017, he fractured his left ankle and played only four games with the New York Giants.

The injury in the Super Bowl was poorly timed because he was scheduled for unrestricted free agency after the 2021 campaign.

Still, he tweeted after the Super Bowl, "This was exactly God's plan."

Beckham can be a game-changer. He's a three-time Pro Bowler with five seasons of more than 1,000 receiving yards on his resume. Yet the injuries are an issue at this point in his career.

If he had been healthy, Odell Beckham Jr. might have been the one catching the game-winning reception in the Los Angeles Rams' Super Bowl LVI victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.

Kupp hauled in a one-yard touchdown grab to put Los Angeles on top 23-20 following Matt Gay's extra point with 1:25 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell, who will be the Minnesota Vikings head coach next season, acknowledged the play was originally designed for Beckham, who had exited the game after a non-contact left knee injury in the second quarter.

Beckham, who will be a free agent this offseason, was later revealed to have likely torn his ACL on the play, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. He recorded two receptions for 52 yards with a touchdown prior to the injury and proved to be a reliable No. 2 option for QB Matthew Stafford ever since the Rams signed him following his release from the Cleveland Browns on November 8.

"We said to ourselves, 'We're gonna put Cooper out there,'" O'Connell said, per The MMQB's Albert Breer. "It really would've been Odell in that spot, but we said, 'You know what? We're gonna move Cooper out there, let him go one-on-one to go win a Super Bowl.' And I didn't expect anything else from those guys."

Beckham's absence forced the Rams to lean heavily on Kupp, especially on their pivotal touchdown drive. He finished with eight receptions, 92 yards and two touchdowns, which ultimately earned him Super Bowl MVP honors.

It was the crowning achievement for one of the best individual seasons by a wide receiver in NFL history.

The Los Angeles Rams made no secret of what their plans were in 2021. From the moment they traded two first-rounders, a third-rounder and quarterback Jared Goff for Matthew Stafford, they were all-in on making a Super Bowl run. That philosophy only continued when Los Angeles made in-season moves for wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and edge-rusher Von Miller.

The plan worked perfectly. After coming back to defeat the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20, the Rams are winners of Super Bowl LVI. But life comes at you fast in the league, and while there was no doubt plenty of partying Sunday evening, by Monday the Rams will already be looking forward to 2022 and defending their title.

Staying at the mountaintop can be even more difficult than reaching it, and general manager Les Snead could have quite a few holes to fill and not many resources with which to fill them.

Stafford will be back, but it's another story for the man who protected his blindside. Andrew Whitworth has had a phenomenal career that has included four Pro Bowl nods, two first-team All-Pro selections and the 2021 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. Five years after he retires, there will be plenty of pounding the table for Whitworth as a Hall of Famer. He played 926 snaps for the Rams this season, and while he allowed five sacks, he remained one of the better left tackles in the league.

But Whitworth is also the oldest active player, and the 40-year-old intimated to reporters last week that while he hadn't decided whether to retire, a Super Bowl win would likely lead him in that direction.

"What an unreal way to walk off," Whitworth said. "I don't think there's anything else I would have to do. I may have cried wolf so many times that nobody will believe me when I actually do retire, but it's gonna have to happen sometime."

Assuming that Whitworth does retire, he will leave a massive hole on the offensive line. And that's not the only potential issue on that side of the ball. Beckham, who played a major role for the Rams after joining the team, is set to hit free agency. So is running back Sony Michel, who led L.A. with 845 rushing yards in the regular season. Pro Bowl kicker Matt Gay also has an expiring contract.

Now, Beckham has had nothing but good things to say about the Rams, and his teammates have lauded him as an exemplary teammate. But the potentially serious knee injury he suffered in the first half could cloud his availability for the start of next season and absolutely clouds contract negotiations.

Losing Beckham would be bad. Losing Whitworth would arguably be worse. But there could be a loss on defense that would be nothing short of catastrophic.

During NBC's pregame show, Rodney Harrison dropped a bombshell when he relayed that superstar defensive tackle Aaron Donald might call it a career if the Rams won.

Donald is on the wrong side of 30, but his level of play remains in a league of its own. He tallied 12.5 sacks in the regular season, added two more against the Bengals and made the play that sealed the win by pressuring Joe Burrow into a fourth-down incompletion with 39 seconds to go. Donald has done everything a player can do short of becoming the first to win Defensive Player of the Year four times. If he were to walk away tomorrow, he would do so as arguably the best 3-technique tackle in NFL history.

While speaking to Michele Tafoya of NBC Sports after the game, a tearful Donald didn't deny the rumors.

"I'm in the moment right now. I'm just going to enjoy this right now with these guys," he said. "My kids are coming on the field—this was a promise I made to my daughter when she was five years old. I'm just going to live in the moment."

Donald's leaving would be a disaster for the defense, and he's not the only veteran who could be out the door. Miller, who tallied five sacks in eight regular-season games and added two more in the Super Bowl, will be 33 when the 2022 season begins and will reportedly explore his options in free agency, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. Cornerback Darious Williams (who started 13 games) and linebacker Troy Reeder (who was third on the team with 91 tackles) are also set to hit the open market.

Now, not all those players will leave, but it's also unlikely Snead will be able to keep the band together the way the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did this season. There are going to be holes.

Snead also doesn't have a lot of resources with which to address them.

Per Over the Cap, the Rams are in the fifth-worst position relative to the projected salary cap (about $13.6 million in the red). Teams have shown that the cap can be fungible. Deals can be restructured to create space, and Stafford, Donald, cornerback Jalen Ramsey and edge-rusher Leonard Floyd could be candidates for that. If Whitworth and Donald were to retire, that would also free up cash, though it'd be a rough way to do it.

But whether it's trying to find the money to re-up Beckham and Miller or pay for their potential replacements, the Rams aren't going to have a ton of cash to throw around.

Things aren't any better where the draft is concerned. L.A. hasn't made a first-round pick since selecting Goff No. 1 overall in 2016 and won't again until at least 2024. The team's second- and third-rounders belong to the Denver Broncos as part of the Miller deal. The awarding of compensatory picks could change that, but as of right now, the Rams have just three selections, and none before the fifth round.

The odds of finding a day one starter that late are not good.

The Rams have at least one thing going for them: As the reigning champions and a team in one of the nation's biggest markets, Los Angeles is an attractive free-agent destination. It's possible that a veteran tackle such as Eric Fisher of the Indianapolis Colts or a wide receiver such as the Chicago Bears' Allen Robinson II could take a little less scratch for the chance to chase a ring and live it up in SoCal. But it's equally likely (if not more so) that if outside help is brought in, it will have to be an aging vet such as Colts wideout T.Y. Hilton or a lower-cost option such as Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon.

Snead's all-out onslaught to make the Super Bowl worked, as the Rams are the second straight team to win football's biggest game in their own stadium and claimed the franchise's second title and first in Los Angeles. But that "live in the present, future be damned" philosophy has a price, and the bill is coming due—a bill that could be compounded by players who have climbed the mountaintop and are ready to ride into the sunset.

There's a lot of work to be done, and staying in the hunt for another Super Bowl may well prove to be more difficult.

A handy tip? Begging Donald to stay would be a good first step.

Odell Beckham Jr. won the first Super Bowl of his career when the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 on Sunday, but he was unable to finish the game because of a knee injury.

Still, he believes everything worked out according to plan:

Beckham appeared well on his way to being a dominant difference-maker during the game when he hauled in two catches for 52 yards and the game's opening touchdown. The Bengals devoted so much attention to stopping Cooper Kupp that it opened Beckham up multiple times, which seemed to be part of the game plan for the eventual victors.

Unfortunately for the wide receiver and the Rams, those would be his only two catches before he exited the game.

Injuries are nothing new for Beckham, who suffered a torn ACL in 2020 as a member of the Cleveland Browns and played just four games in 2017.

Still, that this season ended in a championship is quite the fairy-tale ending for the LSU product. After all, he began the campaign on the Browns and was part of the team's disappointing start to a season that didn't feature a playoff appearance.

There was eventually something of an ugly breakup between the two sides with Beckham's father posting a video on Instagram of instances when Baker Mayfield missed open opportunities.

"I've had conversations with his dad before, man-to-man, face-to-face, and I was pretty surprised by the video and the intentions and the feelings behind it," Mayfield told reporters. "I would be lying if I said otherwise."

Not only did Beckham make it out of Cleveland, but he also ended up joining a dominant Rams team that already had a game-changing wide receiver in Kupp. That allowed him to take advantage of single coverage that wasn't always there in Cleveland, and he finished with five touchdowns in eight regular-season games for Los Angeles.

And he also hauled in a touchdown in the dramatic Super Bowl win.

After Los Angeles Rams receiver Odell Beckham Jr. suffered a non-contact injury to his left knee in Super Bowl LVI against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, multiple NFL players took to social media to voice their displeasure with playing on artificial turf.

In particular, Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb and San Francisco 49ers George Kittle initiated a call-to-action by tweeting out a petition for the NFL to ban artificial turf in favor of real grass.

Chubb noted that the issue is personal because he sprained his MCL while playing on artificial turf.

Despite many calling for the removal of artificial turf from the game, veteran receiver Kenny Stills indicated his skepticism by pointing out the reason real grass isn't used more:

Beckham went down in the second quarter and had to be helped off the field without putting much weight on his left leg. He had suffered a torn ACL in his left knee seven games into the 2020 season. Beckham's injury was a major blow to the Rams as he had success in the first half with two catches for 52 yards and a touchdown.