When Odell Beckham first began playing ball at Louisiana State University, he probably had no idea he’d go on to make National Football League (NFL) history.
But in the short time that he’s been in the public eye, that’s exactly what he proceeded to do. If you’re a football fan, you know that rooting for the New York Giants can be a fool’s game. Yet, Odell Beckham gave the hard-up fans something to believe in.
“During his five seasons with the Giants, Odell broke numerous league and franchise records. In 2016, Beckham became the fastest player in NFL history to reach both 4,000 career receiving yards and 200 career receptions,” reported Celebrity Net Worth, who added that his impressive $40 million net worth belies his various investments, salary earnings and other ventures.
And despite his success, Odell Beckham remains as good-natured as he always was. In addition to inspiring the meme “Things Odell Can Catch” — which he took in great stride — he has donated his time, money, and famous name to supporting a variety of good causes.
i'm so sorry for this i just had to #ThingsOdellCouldCatch pic.twitter.com/lUg4T01GYd
— prime (@fakehedgehog) November 24, 2014
Let’s take a look at how he’s made his money through the years.
Editorial note: The net worth listed in this piece is a speculative estimate drawn from a variety of online sources.
NFL Career
Initially, Odell Beckham Jr. made his mark in the NFL world. His biggest contract, according to Forbes, was the signing of his record-breaking five-year, $95 million contract with the New York Giants in 2018. But just six months after he was signed, he was traded to the Cleveland Browns.
Sponsorships and Endorsements
One of Odell Beckham’s biggest sponsors is Nike. In May 2017, he signed a record-breaking contract rumored to be worth around $29 million over the course of five years. He also has the option to renew the contract after five years, for another eight years, and for a total of $48 million, according to Oregon Live.
He also has been endorsed by Head & Shoulders, Foot Locker and Lenovo.
NFTs
In August 2021, AfroTech reported that Odell Beckham entered the world of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) after purchasing a CryptoPunk 3365.
Each of the 8-bit style pixelated digital characters have their own unique types, attributes and accessories. Beckham Jr.’s Punk has a shadow beard, “wild hair” and a smile. Plus, the wide receiver has changed his profile image across all of his social media accounts to reflect his new Punk.
What other NFT projects should I b lookin at??
— Odell Beckham Jr (@obj) August 23, 2021
Film & Television
In July 2019, The Hollywood Reporter exclusively broke the story about Odell Beckham Jr.’s formation of ITN Productions. This production company was made as part of a deal with Brent Montgomery’s Wheelhouse Entertainment. One of the first things that were launched under this deal was Beckham’s dedicated YouTube channel, which became a smash hit almost instantly.
“t’s amazing to launch my very own YouTube channel and give fans a behind-the-scenes look into my life,” Beckham said in a statement. “This collaboration between Wheelhouse Entertainment and [digital firm] Portal A will expand my digital presence and engagement with fans around the world.”
Other Business Ventures
Odell Beckham is one of the few NFL players who have jumped, head-first, into the SPAC (special purpose acquisition company) craze. According to the Wall Street Journal, he became an advisor for the SPAC called Tribe Capital Management, which has invested in both cryptocurrency and asset management software in the recent past. He joined the advisory board in March 2021.
In August 2020, Odell Beckham partnered with Xbox after he got sidelined with an injury. As AfroTech reported, the NFL superstar partnered with the gaming company for a new sneaker and controller collaboration inspired by their global Power Your Dreams campaign.
Philanthropy
Odell Beckham is quite a philanthropist. According to Fox Sports, he has donated his own time and money to causes like cancer research, feeding hungry Americans, helping those who experienced damage done by Hurricane Harvey and severe floods, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.