On Bleacher Report's Cleats and Convos, Garrett Wilson weighed in on an ongoing debate that’s had fans buzzing since last Thursday night: Was NY Jets' Wilson’s jaw-dropping, one-handed touchdown catch better than NY Giants' Odell Beckham Jr.’s legendary grab in 2014?
When asked whose catch was better, Wilson didn't hesitate, giving OBJ full props.
"Man, Odell's," he said. "He did it on Sunday Night Football, against the Cowboys...and he caught it with, like, three fingers. I just remember watching that live, and that catch will always stick out to me."
It’s hard to argue with Wilson's assessment. That iconic catch from Beckham back in 2014 has become the gold standard for circus catches. With his arm extended behind his head and his body almost horizontal to the ground, OBJ pulled off what many still consider the most spectacular catch in NFL history.
He did it through blatant pass interference, on national TV, in a divisional rivalry game. It’s the kind of moment that transcends a game’s final score; that catch made OBJ a household name overnight.
OBJ’s epic catch on Sunday night against the Cowboys is the standard
Wilson’s catch was undeniably special and deserves all the attention it's getting. On a third-and-19 in the fourth quarter, with the Jets trailing the Texans, he leaped up and pulled down a one-handed catch just inches from the sideline.
It was so close that it took a review to confirm he’d actually gotten a shin inbounds before falling out. Not only did it put the Jets ahead, but it likely kept their season alive, boosting their confidence as they took down a red-hot Texans team.
HOLY COW. Garrett Wilson just made the catch of the season!!
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) November 1, 2024
It's officially a TD after review. This is OBJ-like. INSANITY!!!pic.twitter.com/KEzDneHM4C
But as incredible as Wilson’s catch was, it still can’t eclipse Beckham's. OBJ’s play was bigger than just a touchdown. It became an instant NFL classic, replayed endlessly and remembered just as much for the moment as the execution.
Beckham was a rookie, too, but his catch marked a new era of highlight-reel receptions, inspiring receivers across the league to push their own limits. The intensity of a Sunday night game, the audacity of OBJ’s three-finger grab, and his sky-high vertical leap, it was all the stuff of legends.
While some might argue that Wilson's catch was "more meaningful" because it contributed to a Jets victory, it’s worth remembering that the sheer artistry of OBJ’s catch has kept it alive in the hearts of football fans everywhere. Even Wilson, who’s now the Jets’ most electric young receiver, knows that OBJ’s moment was on another level.
He was honored just to have his name brought up in comparison.