Odell Beckham Jr. Has Accepted a Six-Week Suspension Over a Failed Drug Test

Although he's not currently signed to any team, NFL wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. announced on the Pivot podcast that he had received a six-week suspension from the NFL. The news of his suspension left many wondering what he had been suspended for, and when he might be allowed to return to the league.

Although he emerged as one of the league's brightest stars in the first part of his career, Odell has been plagued by injuries and other issues in more recent years, and his productivity has fallen off significantly. Here's what we know about why he was suspended.

He was apparently suspended after he failed a drug test for performance-enhancing drugs during the last NFL season. Odell played for the Miami Dolphins last season, catching just nine passes for 55 yards, which were both major career lows.

According to CBS, Odell will not be allowed to play football until Week 12, which will be in November. During his podcast appearance, though, the wide receiver said that he never knowingly took performance-enhancing drugs.

On The Pivot, Odell said that he had been dealing with issues around his testosterone levels. He did not clarify which drugs he might have tested positive for, but it sounds like Odell is maintaining his own innocence, even though he's also accepted a suspension.

Given that he is not currently signed to a team, though, it's possible that his suspension won't ultimately change his outlook much.

Although he acknowledged that he had tested positive, Odell did not offer much detail on what drug he is supposed to have taken, or whether he's still taking anything to address his testosterone levels.

Given his declining production and the fact that he is not currently signed to a team, rumors had been circulating that the once vaunted wide receiver might be on the road to retirement.

Adam Schefter, one of the most well-sourced reporters inside the NFL, reported over the summer that he had decided to seek retirement, only to have Odell himself respond on X (formerly Twitter), making it clear that that decision had not been made.

"LOL WTF… when was that announced and by who? That's funny, appreciate the concerns but this s--t ain't over yet," he wrote.

Given that he is still unsigned, it seems possible that Odell will be forced into retirement. Of course, the nature of football is such that teams are certainly going to want to bolster their wide receiver pools headed into the postseason, and that's likely what Odell is betting on as well. He might not have a team now, but he'll be somewhere before the end of the year.

Odell had 1,000-yard seasons in four of his first five seasons in the league with the New York Giants, and was then traded to the Cleveland Browns in 2019, before winning a Super Bowl with the LA Rams in 2021. In that game, he also tore his ACL.