CLEVELAND — Editor’s note: the video in the player above is from a previous story.
Dating back to his return to Northeast Ohio in 2014, LeBron James has been a public supporter of the Cleveland Browns.
But after Odell Beckham Jr. and the Los Angeles Rams clinched a trip to Super Bowl LVI on Sunday, the 4-time NBA MVP couldn’t help but poke fun at his hometown team.
Taking to his Instagram story on Sunday night, James reposted a video meme that was originally shared by Complex Sports. The video post depicted Beckham as the rapper Kendrick Lamar during his verse on 2013’s “BET The Cypher” with the caption “Odell to the Browns.”
The post shared by James is an apparent reference to Beckham’s controversial departure — which the Los Angeles Lakers star may have played a role in. After Beckham reportedly requested a trade from the Browns this past November, James took to Twitter to advocate for Cleveland to trade or release the three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver.
Ultimately, James got his wish, with the Browns and Beckham coming to terms on a release that allowed the 2014 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year to become a free agent. From there, the LSU product signed a one-year deal with the Rams and went on to catch nine passes for 113 yards in Los Angeles’ 20-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday to clinch an appearance in this season’s Super Bowl.
Meanwhile, the Browns finished the 2021 season with a disappointing 8-9 record, losing five of their final nine games after Beckham’s departure.