Jimmie Ward took a lick from Odell Beckham Jr. and is looking forward to paying back the favor.

During the Rams’ “Monday Night Football” game against the 49ers — which also served as Beckham’s big debut — quarterback Matthew Stafford targeted the newly minted Rams receiver on a deep pass. The ball hung up in the air for what felt like minutes and landed in the arms of Ward, a safety for the 49ers. After grabbing the ball, however, Beckham knocked into Ward, a moment in time that, so far, has not strayed from the defender’s mind.

“I was just thinking about how Odell came and hit me, how I’m going to have to pay him back next time I see him,” Ward told reporters following the 49ers’ win over their NFC West rival, 31-10.

Ward, who also had a second interception later in the game, added, “I’ve been waiting a long time to hit him, so hopefully I can catch him.”

Fortunately for Ward, he can circle a date on his calendar: The 49ers travel to SoFi Stadium to play the Rams in Week 18, on Sunday, Jan. 9.

What the 49ers safety has to hope for is that both he and Beckham remain healthy between now and then and that both teams still have stakes in the contest. That way, neither of the head coaches, Sean McVay of the Rams, and Kyle Shanahan of the 49ers, is inclined to rest their starters.

Ward, 30, is currently in his eighth NFL season, all of which have been played with the 49ers, who selected him 30th overall in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft.