Odell Beckham Jr. has made his comeback to the New York Giants, and with it, a return to a familiar number.
After sporting No. 3 throughout the preseason, Beckham arrived at Giants practice on Tuesday wearing No. 13, the jersey he famously wore during his initial years in New York.
This marks Beckham’s first time back with the Giants since 2018. Following his departure, he spent time with the Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Rams, Baltimore Ravens, and Miami Dolphins. In the offseason, he signed a one-year, $1.3 million contract to rejoin the Giants and successfully secured a spot on the 53-man roster.
During the preseason, Beckham had been wearing No. 3. His old No. 13 had been worn by wide receiver Jalin Hyatt, who had donned the number with Beckham’s approval since being drafted by the Giants in 2023.
However, Hyatt did not make the final roster cut on Sunday. The Giants subsequently re-signed him to their practice squad after he cleared waivers. His move off the active roster paved the way for Beckham to reclaim his signature number.
Beckham spoke to reporters on Monday about the significance of wearing his old jersey after learning he had made the team.
“I think we all know what that means to me,” Beckham stated. “And there definitely will be some conversations. I’ll just say, we’ll see what happens. But it would be an honor and a privilege to put that back on.”
It remains unclear whether any negotiations took place with Hyatt, though his transition to the practice squad made the number readily available.
Regardless of the circumstances, Beckham is set to make his game-day return to the Giants in Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football — the same opponent and stage where he originally made No. 13 famous.
His spectacular early career catches and three standout seasons initially suggested that No. 13 would be retired by the franchise. However, a severe ankle injury in his fourth season altered his trajectory, and Beckham has not replicated his previous production since.
Having played as many seasons away from the Giants as he did with them, Beckham’s homecoming — paired with the restoration of his No. 13 — promises to be a memorable moment for fans at MetLife Stadium under the lights on September 13.
