Odell Beckham Jr. Was ‘Definitely Hesitant' To Pay With Tua Because He's a Lefty

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Odell Beckham Jr. adds yet another weapon in the Miami Dolphins' already-dominant wide receivers room. But, initially, the three-time Pro Bowler was hesitant to sign because he wasn't sure about quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's arm.

No, he had no concerns about Tua's strength or accuracy. Rather, Beckham was a little worried about playing with a left-handed QB — something he's never done before.

"I definitely was a little hesitant at first because he's a lefty, and I think I shied away from lefties," Beckham told reporters this week. "But now that I think about it, I've been throwing with Jarvis Landry since I was 15 years old. One of my trainers is left-handed."

Odell Beckham Jr. speaks to the media during an introductory press conference with the Miami Dolphins.

(Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports)

Beckham agreed to a one-year deal with the Dolphins earlier this month. The 31-year-old sat out the entire 2022 season after suffering an ACL tear, but he spent last season with the Baltimore Ravens. In 2023, Beckham had 35 receptions for 565 yards and three touchdowns.

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And, now, he's looking forward to seeing what he can accomplish with Tagovailoa and the fastest offense in the NFL.

"They said he just throws different. They said the accuracy and spin, they're like it's not really like he's left-handed," Beckham said. "Just watching his film, there's a lot of great things that he's been doing. He did it at Alabama, did it here with the Dolphins. Like I said, I've just seen an opportunity when I really watched the film, when I really sat down and didn't look at a destination. I looked at myself in the mirror and a place for me and my career. I've seen a lot of opportunity here."

Future teammates: Odell Beckham Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa

(Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)

Tagovailoa, who is entering his fifth season with Miami, threw for 4,624 yards, 29 touchdowns and 14 interceptions last season, while wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle tallied 13 and four touchdowns, respectively. Behind Tua, the Dolphins led the league in passing yards and total offense in 2023.