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Odell Beckham Jr. was escorted off of an American Airlines flight from Miami to Los Angeles on Sunday morning after crew members who tried to wake him up before departure grew concerned because he “appeared to be coming in and out of consciousness.” Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network obtained a police report saying in part that the Miami-Dade Police Department responded to American Airlines flight 1228 in Miami, bound for Los Angeles, at around 9:30 a.m. after flight attendants called for help out of fear that Beckham Jr. was ill and “his condition would worsen through the expected 5 hour flight,” police said. Police said in a statement: “Upon the officers arrival, the flight crew asked Mr. Beckham several times to exit the aircraft, which he refused.. the aircraft was deplaned, at which time Mr. Beckham was asked by the officers to exit the plane, and did so without incident.” Beckham was not detained or cited for the incident.
Shortly after the news broke, Beckham appeared to address the situation in a tweet that read: “Never in my life have I experienced what just happened to me… I’ve seen it alll..” “Never. In. My . Life,” he added. He later wrote: “I COULD NEVER MAKE THIS UP …comedy hr.” Beckham’s attorney also released a statement late Sunday calling the incident “unnecessary” and saying Beckham was sleeping, which is why he did not initially comply with the flight crew. Beckham’s attorney blamed an “overzealous flight attendant” who, “wanted to prove that he had the authority to have Mr. Beckham removed from the flight” for the disturbance.
This incident comes four days before the Beckham’s first free-agency visit. The wide receiver, who most recently played for the Los Angeles Rams, is scheduled to visit the New York Giants (who he previously played for from 2014 to 2018) Thursday and Friday; and will then visit the Dallas Cowboys on Monday. Per outlet reports, he also plans to visit the Buffalo Bills at some point.
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