Odell Beckham Jr. thought it was fitting that his first touchdown with the Ravens came on his birthday.
"I couldn't ask for a better present," Beckham said after his 6-yard touchdown catch from Tyler Huntley capped Baltimore's 37-3 victory over Seattle.
Beckham made a nice hesitation move on Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen to get free, and Huntley lofted a perfect pass to Beckham in the corner of the end zone. Afterward, Beckham celebrated by doing the Park Heights Strut, then was mobbed by teammates as fans at M&T Bank Stadium soaked in the moment.
"I had something else planned but the Park Heights Strut, whatever it's called, I've seen it for a long time and wanted to show love for the city of Baltimore," Beckham said. "Hopefully this is the beginning of plenty."
Beckham is a three-time Pro Bowler who has enjoyed five 1,000-yard seasons during his stellar career, and he isn't used to waiting until Week 9 for his first touchdown. It was clearly a frustrating experience for him, but he was also pleased the Ravens were winning games regardless of what his stats were.
Since signing with the Ravens during the offseason, Beckham has fit in well and taken pride in being a mentor to younger receivers such asrookie Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman. He was moved that his teammates were so eager for him to get his first Ravens touchdown.
"It's such a tightknit group and we're all happy for the next person," Beckham said. "I think they know the work I put into it so they're happy for me. Same when Zay Flowers scored his first touchdown or Keaton (Mitchell) scored his first touchdown, it's a tightknit group of brothers. We're just all playing for each other."
Beckham lost a fumble in the second quarter after making the catch, although he felt his knee was down before the ball was jarred loose. However, Beckham didn't let that miscue deter him.
"We had a word, and he's great," Head Coach John Harbaugh said. "To see him come back – that's what you expect out of a player like that – a veteran player who has done it before.
"It was a great call by [Offensive Coordinator] Todd [Monken]. Odell [Beckham Jr.] ran a great route [on] a double move back out to the corner. It was good to see."
Beckham won a Super Bowl with the Rams to cap the 2021 season, but suffered a serious knee injury in the second quarter of that game which forced him to miss the entire 2022 season. It's been a long road for Beckham, who wants to end this season on a healthier note, with another Super Bowl title in his position. He believes the Ravens have the talent it takes to accomplish that.
"Winning a Super Bowl, I know what the atmosphere was like and the energy in the locker room and the day-to-day," Beckham said. "This is definitely that. At the end of the day, that's the goal."
