A full-circle return

Odell Beckham Jr. is officially back with the New York Giants, and he's reclaiming the jersey number that defined his early career. The team announced Tuesday that Beckham will wear No. 13 this season, the number he wore during his first stint with the Giants from 2014 to 2018. He had been wearing No. 3 this summer after signing with the team earlier in the offseason.

The move came after Beckham made the 53-man roster, completing a journey that began when he was traded to the Cleveland Browns in 2019 following a period marred by injuries, questions about his attitude, and a strained relationship with team leadership. According to AM New York, Beckham's Hall-of-Fame trajectory stalled over the past few seasons; he averaged 37 catches for 502 yards per year over his last four seasons and did not play in 2022 or 2025. The Miami Dolphins released him in December 2024, and he had yet to see regular-season action since.

Emotional moment on the practice field

Beckham learned he had made the roster from head coach John Harbaugh while walking off the practice field Sunday. In the New York Post's account, Beckham described getting back to his hotel room and breaking down in tears.

"Figuring out I'm going to be here and I have an opportunity to rewrite some of the last bit of the chapter," Beckham said Monday, as quoted by the Post. "Don't know if it's my last year, whatever it is, I just know I'm going to give my all. But definitely had that moment where it was like you could let out some of the pain that I feel like I went through. It was just very healing, very emotional, something I was very happy about."

Beckham's emotion was echoed by those around him. Harbaugh told the Post that owner John Mara's grandsons were "super happy" about Beckham's roster spot, saying they had been asking daily whether he would make the team. Harbaugh, who coached Beckham in Baltimore three years ago and took a chance on him this summer, added: "There's nobody in that locker room, I believe, or anywhere in the building that questions Odell earning this. It's clear-cut. The odds were probably against him, I would say. He overcame the odds and did it."

Beckham himself was firm on the point that his spot was earned, not gifted. "I earned the right to be here; this wasn't given to me," he said, according to multiple outlets. "I was given the opportunity, but I wasn't given making it here where I'm at."

Jersey number change and roster moves

The number switch involved a roster transaction. Jalin Hyatt, who had worn No. 13 for the Giants since being drafted in 2023, was waived Sunday and re-signed to the team's practice squad, as reported by Bleacher Report and com. Beckham had publicly approved of Hyatt wearing his old number when the rookie arrived. After making the roster, Beckham said he would speak with Hyatt about switching back, calling the number "an honor and a privilege" to put on again.

Beckham's history with No. 13 includes three straight Pro Bowl seasons and an Offensive Rookie of the Year award during his first Giants tenure. He continued wearing No. 13 with the Cleveland Browns from 2019 to 2021, then switched to No. 3 after a midseason trade to the Los Angeles Rams. He subsequently wore No. 3 for the Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins.

Hyatt's move to the practice squad is part of a broader roster shake-up. Rookie wide receiver Malachi Fields is changing numbers as well, going from No. 80 to No. 88, per North Jersey's Art Stapleton, as cited by Bleacher Report.

What to expect on the field

Beckham's role with the Giants remains fluid as the season approaches. Harbaugh said Beckham will be "rotating in different personnel groups and he'll be playing," according to AM New York and the Post. Beckham is expected to start the season fifth on the wide-receiver depth chart behind Malik Nabers, Malachi Fields, Darius Slayton, and Darnell Mooney, though that projection has not been confirmed by the team.

Beckham's preseason performance—seven catches for 76 yards, per AM New York—helped solidify his case. He also benefited indirectly from an injury: Calvin Austin III suffering a torn ACL boosted Beckham's odds, though the Post and other reports note that Beckham's own performance and the support of teammates were the decisive factors.

The Giants carry just five receivers on the active roster, and it remains unclear whether Malik Nabers will be ready for Week 1. The season opener is set for Sept. 13 at home against the Dallas Cowboys, a game that will mark Beckham's first regular-season appearance for the Giants since 2018.

Beckham, who turns 34 in November, said he isn't focused on what others think. "I feel confident in my ability," he said Monday, as quoted by com. "Whatever it is that I need to provide, I'm looking to do that—and more. I've never shied away from competition. I feel that I can produce. I know that's what I want to do. Now it's about putting the work in to be able to do that."