Introduction
OBJ. I’m Him were first said by Odell Beckham Jr. during his introduction on “Sunday Night Football” in September 2019. Ever since then, the words have become known as one of the most famous things said in sports. Over the years, the words have spread, going from loud cheers in stadiums and sports news to completely different kinds of stories. Lately, the words have appeared in a sports-horror movie that mixes dreams, fear, and the bad side of having a mentor.
A Phrase That Became Cinema
The saying that used to be for sports places has now been turned into a movie. A project called HIM was led by Justin Tipping and made by Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions. Football was picked as the way to tell a more meaningful story. Ideas about power, being obsessed, and risky mentors were looked at through this mix of sports and horror.
Marlon Wayans was chosen to play Isaiah White, a very famous quarterback whose fame had turned him into a mentor with tricky reasons. Tyriq Withers, who used to play wide receiver for Florida State, was picked to play Cameron Cade, the young player struggling with that mentorship.
Besides the scary parts, the movie asked a question that felt very human: what is the cost of being great when wanting to succeed becomes frightening?
The Story That Attracted Justin Tipping
Justin Tipping liked the film because of the link between being great and giving up something. His own history as an athlete who became a filmmaker gave him a way to combine two worlds. Sports and horror are not often seen together in movies, but in real life, they share strong feelings, physical effort, and psychology.
Tipping said that sports shaped his childhood. At the same time, he learned about film in school. When this story was presented, he thought it was both scary and exciting. The chance to mix sports language with how horror looks became his special challenge.
From “Kicks” to “HIM”
Tipping had already shown his first film, Kicks, in 2016. That story also followed a young main character and mixed music, drama, and humor with a deeper meaning. Like HIM, it asked what needs to be given up to reach one’s goals. His time at UC Santa Barbara had taught him about media and let him play soccer.
Balancing film school and soccer helped him see things in a realistic and genuine way. For him, picking Cameron Cade was never just about how he looked. A real athlete was needed to show natural movement, reaction, and behavior.
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The Demand for Authenticity
Tipping remembered that every football scene had to be real. He didn’t want any easy ways out, no fake scenes. Tyriq Withers had to be on set first, leave last, and practice for every difficult shot. His past as a serious athlete was seen as very important. Without it, the acting would not have felt real.
Even small things, like drinking water during breaks, had to seem real. Those habits could not be faked. For Tipping, being real was a must.
Tyriq Withers’ Path Toward Football
Tyriq Withers had always been a soccer player first. From the time he was four until he was eighteen, soccer made him who he was. But he got completely tired of it during his junior year of high school. After not making the team, he chose to play football to show everyone what he could do.
Being tall, he soon got a spot on the Paxon School for Advanced Studies team, and one good season got him an offer from Davidson College. But because it was far from his home in Jacksonville, he thought about going to Florida State instead. That choice changed what happened to him.
Florida State and What It Was Like to Walk On
Florida State became where he belonged when he went to a Black Student Union event. With help from Dr. Tadarrayl Starke, Withers received money to help pay for school. After that, he joined the Seminoles football team even though they didn’t ask him to join at first.
Being a walk-on was a lesson in being humble. He said he was the worst player on the team at first. But, being focused and working hard helped him get better. Withers later talked about how that challenge taught him things that were useful in other areas of life.
Memories and How He Was Affected at Florida State
Withers played for the Seminoles in 2016 and 2017. One great moment was getting a ring for playing in the Orange Bowl. But eventually he knew that to get more playing time, he would have to give up things he did not want to. Instead, he decided to focus on school and acting.
He shared locker rooms with future NFL stars such as Dalvin Cook, Derwin James Jr. and Cam Akers. Of all of them, Dalvin Cook inspired him the most. Cook’s being humble and honest later changed how Withers played his role in HIM.
Dalvin Cook’s Knowing What Happened
Dalvin Cook, who ran for more yards than anyone else at Florida State, was surprised but happy to know that Withers had been inspired by him. Cook pointed out that walk-ons have unique experiences that create strong connections. Cook had been impressed by Withers’ respect, humility, and determination even back then.
Cook’s noticing Withers showed that values and brotherhood continue even when sports are over. He said he was proud to see his old teammate doing well as an actor.
Getting Ready to Play a Quarterback
Even though he had played football before, Withers had never been a quarterback. To play Cameron Cade, he needed to learn how to move his feet, throw the ball, and be a leader. At first, he thought it would be easier than college football, but it turned out to be harder.
Jordan Palmer, who used to be an NFL quarterback and is now a coach, trained Withers for more than two months. The training included not only skills but also how to have the special presence of a leader. Withers had to act, move, and think like a real quarterback.
Creating the Character of Cameron Cade
Jordan Palmer based Cade’s playing style on Caleb Williams and Patrick Mahomes. Their charm, talent, and attention from the media gave him something to aim for. Tipping also looked to stars like Tom Brady, Kobe Bryant, and Tiger Woods, using their strong will to help create the mentor character, Isaiah White.
So, the movie mixed real sports with complex mental ideas. It showed ambition, mentorship, and the sacrifices you have to make to be great.
Themes of Wanting Success and Giving Up Things
The film made viewers think about what makes someone truly great. Being successful was shown as something you can achieve, but also as something that can take over your life in a bad way. The people in the movie had to make hard choices about picking the correct way to go, deciding what is right and wrong, and knowing how much they would give up to reach what they wanted.
The person who made the movie, Justin Tipping, said that HIM was not just about sports. It was a movie made to get people talking. People watching were asked to think about what things are worth giving up for, and how much is too much to pay to get them.
Tyriq Withers Starts Acting
After he stopped playing football, Withers finished college at Florida State in 2022. He quickly became very interested in acting. He first acted in plays in Atlanta, and then he got the main role in HIM.
The ability to work hard and keep going that he learned from his time playing football helped him in his acting career. He said that acting let him look at feelings and what it means to be human in ways that football never could.
Conclusion
The words “OBJ. I’M HIM.” started as a strong statement by Odell Beckham Jr. but became something that everyone knew. It led to a movie that mixed sports with scary parts and told a story about power, wanting to be the best, and giving things up. Justin Tipping’s directing, Tyriq Withers’ believable acting, and Dalvin Cook’s impact all came together to make a story that felt like a movie but also like real life.
Through Cameron Cade’s story, the movie shows that being great comes with problems. Its lesson is simple: trying to be the best should not mean giving up what you believe in. Like the saying that gave it its idea, the movie keeps making people think about what real success means and how it will be remembered.