Odell Beckham Jr. is set to play his first regular-season game with the New York Giants in 2,842 days, suiting up against the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football at MetLife Stadium. This return to the franchise where he achieved international fame, notably for his iconic one-handed catch as a rookie in 2014, feels significant to the 33-year-old receiver.

"I always talk about God's plan," Beckham said after practice on Friday. "Right when I was [trying out] and I was seeing all these things happening, the NFL was like, ‘Giants, Sunday night, Cowboys.’ It’s just crazy because everything that’s happened with that. You just try to be in the moment and not overthink."

Adding to the narrative, Beckham has dyed his hair platinum blond, his signature color during his initial tenure with the Giants, after wearing it black throughout the summer. He kept the change a secret for the Sunday night reveal at the request of some younger teammates.

"I kind of got a request from a couple of the young guys, like, ‘We need to see the blond. I need that as a core memory,’" Beckham explained. "It’s always fun to switch it up. I can have black hair forever. I can’t fry this forever, and it might grow back. Now was the time."

Beckham's one-handed catch in 2014 against the Cowboys is widely remembered, though he acknowledges it also shaped public perception of his career. "I've dropped a lot of one-hands, too," he said. "But it changed my life forever … for better or for worse, because people try and amount the whole career into one play."

Giants offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, whose son is a receiver at Kansas, noted the play's enduring impact on young players. "I know for the past, like, six years in the offseason, they’re always trying in the offseason to do one-hand catches," Nagy said. "I got to see Odell when he was in his prime then and just had a ton of respect for him. And to see him now with where he’s at in this part of the career, I think you really start to appreciate where you’re at and now it’s the team part and he’s embraced that."

After a stint with the Dolphins in 2024 and sitting out 2025, a healthy Beckham made the Giants' 53-man roster. He is expected to see significant playing time as one of only four receivers on the team. His last regular-season game with the Giants was Week 13 of 2018, where he recorded a touchdown, threw a touchdown, and misplayed an onside kick.

Former teammates have reached out to Beckham, reflecting on his journey back. "They always talk about, ‘We’re living through you,’" Beckham said. "I see guys who I played here with and they’re like, ‘It’s just crazy. It’s a tremendous amount of top off to you and the work that you did to get back here.’ But not too many people get a chance to have this kind of story written up, and I just want to take advantage of that."

Beckham anticipates an emotional moment when he runs out onto the field. "If I get that opportunity to run out and I could hear this stadium, which I feel like is just going to erupt, I think that’ll be the moment where your chest tightens up a little bit and eyes might get a little watery," he said. "I just love this game and I’ve sacrificed my whole life for it. And I just want to give this city, this organization, these fans, every last bit of me. Whatever that is, I came to give it."