Six Years Before Marriage Rumors Emerged, Hollywood Icon Zendaya Had to Explain Her Relationship With NFL Superstar Odell Beckham Jr: “Just Because You’re in the NFL”

Nov 24, 2022 | 3:40 AM EST

Six Years Before Marriage Rumors Emerged, Hollywood Icon Zendaya Had to Explain Her Relationship With NFL Superstar Odell Beckham Jr: “Just Because You’re in the NFL”

Nov 24, 2022 | 3:40 AM EST

Rumor has it that actress Zendaya is getting engaged to Spider-Man co-star Tom Holland. But there was a time when the same rumor bird said that NFL star Odell Beckham Jr. was dating the actress. And naturally, the question came to her. She went on to detail the process of the dating audition that her date had to go through.

OBJ and Zendaya had sparked dating rumors back in 2016 when fans spotted them together at the Grammy’s that year.

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Zendaya explained her relationship with Odell Beckham Jr.

Back in 2016, when Zendaya and Tom Holland had not met yet, she was explaining her relationship with future Super Bowl champion Odell Beckham Jr. Fans spotted the duo at the Grammy awards show, but the actress’ father shut down the rumors quickly. Still, the question came up in one of her interviews that year.

When that happened, Zendaya shut down the rumors herself saying that the duo were just friends. “Here’s the thing… a couple of things… first, it wasn’t really a date. We went to some events together, because we’re friends. We were with a group, we were with multiple people — I was with my stylist and everything like that,” she said.

She then explained a process through which anyone wanting to date her had to go through. And the process involved her father. “But here’s the thing: Even if it does progress, you gotta go through my dad first,” she said. “Just because you’re in the NFL, you killin’ stuff, that doesn’t mean you get to skip past pops. He’s not going to allow that to happen,” the then 19-year-old added.

The changing times

A lot of things have changed since then. Odell Beckham Jr. won the Super Bowl title last season. And Zendaya is dating actor Tom Holland. There are rumors about Zendaya’s engagement with Holland, though nobody has confirmed anything. OBJ is looking for a new franchise to make a comeback from injury.

At the time of dating rumors with Zendaya, OBJ played for the New York Giants. The Giants picked up the wide receiver in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft. He played for them for five seasons before going to the Cleveland Browns in 2019. The star WR then went to the Los Angeles Rams halfway through the 2021 season. And he lifted the Vince Lombardi trophy with them. He hasn’t played in the NFL since the Super Bowl due to an ACL injury and is a free agent. Many franchises want to sign him when he returns. Where will he play after his comeback?

Watch this story: Four most ideal landing spots for free agent Odell Beckham Jr.

Written by

Shivam Pratap Singh

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Shivam Pratap Singh is a seasoned NFL writer at Essentially Sports. With a master's degree in international and area studies from a prestigious university, Shivam leverages his academic background to gain a deeper understanding of the global impact of sports. Shivam's passion for football developed early in his career as a writer. One of his breakthrough moments as a writer came when he reported on the '49ers GM John Lynch QB Announcement', demonstrating his talent for breaking news and providing insightful analysis. When not immersed in football, Shivam keeps up with the latest happenings in his favorite soccer club, Manchester United, and the wild European soccer scene. He is a passionate fan of the sport and enjoys writing about the intersection of football and culture.

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Edited by

Gurjyot Singh Dadial