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Odell Beckham Jr. wants to turn Browns into 'new Patriots'

By Alex Butler
New Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. attended The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Benefit "Camp: Notes on Fashion" on Monday at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
New Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. attended The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Benefit "Camp: Notes on Fashion" on Monday at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

May 7 (UPI) -- Odell Beckham Jr. has high hopes for his new team, saying he wants to turn the Cleveland Browns into the "new" New England Patriots.

Beckham made the comments in an interview with GQ. The superstar wide receiver joined the Browns in a blockbuster trade from the New York Giants in March. The Beckham acquisition was one of several made by the Browns this off-season, turning the futile franchise into a possible contender under new general manager John Dorsey.

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The three-time Pro Bowl selection joins a star-studded offense for emerging second-year quarterback Baker Mayfield. Beckham likened the young gunslinger to Brett Favre and called Mayfield a future "Hall of Famer."

"I plan on being there for the next five years and trying to bring as many championships there as possible, turning [the Browns] into the new Patriots," Beckham said.

New England owns six Super Bowl trophies and is one of the greatest dynasties in sports history. The Patriots have won their division for 10 consecutive seasons and won three of the last five Super Bowls. New England has also won at least 10 games in each of the last 16 seasons and had a winning record in every season since 2001.

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Cleveland has had a winning record just once since posting a 9-7 mark in 2002. The Browns haven't won their division since 1989 and have never appeared in a Super Bowl. The Browns have gone to the playoffs just twice since 1989. Cleveland also posted a 4-44 record in the three seasons prior to going 7-8-1 in 2018.

While the Giants have had postseason success, Beckham came to town several years after the Giants won their second Super Bowl under Eli Manning. The Giants went to the playoffs just once during his five-year run with the franchise, losing in the first round to the Green Bay Packers in 2017.

Beckham said that he is probably "the happiest" he has ever been in his life. He also said New York "just became not the right fit."

The Browns have closed out rookie minicamp and start OTA off-season workouts on May 14. Cleveland has mandatory minicamp from June 11 to June 13. Beckham is set to make $17 million this season. He is signed through 2023.

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