Former LSU football players believe OBJ was ‘caught up in the moment’ after video shows him giving out cash

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Did former LSU star receiver, Odell Beckham Jr., cross the line?

LSU Athletics is now forced to investigate a video that appears to show OBJ handing out cash to some LSU football players after the championship game Monday, Jan. 13, including Joe Burrow, who admits it happened.

Two former LSU football players WAFB spoke with believe Odell was just caught up in the moment.

“He [Beckham Jr.] wasn’t thinking at all. Again, this is something I think he has to learn from, and he will learn from it,” said Darry Beckwith, former LSU football player who was on the 2007 national championship team.

As Tiger football players, coaches, and fans were relishing in the sweet taste of victory after their big win, WAFB’S cameras caught an exchange with Beckham Jr. giving out cash to receiver Justin Jefferson.

“He [Beckham Jr.] was really excited. Whether the money was real or not, you just shouldn’t do something like that,” said Karl Wilson, who won an SEC championship for LSU in 1986.

Jefferson apparently wasn’t the only one who received money. The morning after the championship, Joe Burrow was asked on Barstool Sports’ podcast, Pardon My Take, if Beckham Jr. gave him money.

Mr. Cat: “Did Odell give you money?”

Burrow: “Umm… yeah. I’m not a student-athlete anymore, so I can say yeah.”

Mr. Cat: “Yeah, that’s sick. He was just handing out cash?”

Burrow: “Yeah.”

NCAA rules ban college athletes from accepting money.

The former LSU stars WAFB spoke with believe OBJ was just excited.

“To give what it seems to be money to student-athletes, you know as well as I know, and he [OBJ] knows as well as I know, that’s not a part of the rules. He might’ve just got caught up in the moment,” said Wilson.

“Odell had no bad intentions at all. He does not want this to be a story. He didn’t want it to be a story. At that moment, he let his emotions and his excitement get the best of him,” said Beckwith.

In a statement, LSU Athletics said they originally thought it was fake money, then realized the cash may have been real, and are now investigating.

“It’s taking away from a hundred guys who put the work in, in the spring and the summer time, to accomplish such a great task,” said Beckwith.

Burrow and Jefferson are heading to the 2020 NFL Draft.

LSU is taking proactive steps to stay on top of this and resolve this situation. The school released the following statement:

“We are aware of the situation regarding Odell Beckham Jr. interacting with LSU student-athletes and others unaffiliated with the team following the championship game Monday night. Initial information suggested bills that were exchanged were novelty bills. Information and footage reviewed since shows apparent cash may have also been given to LSU student-athletes. We were in contact with the NCAA and the SEC immediately upon learning of this situation in which some of our student-athletes may have been placed in a compromising position. We are working with our student-athletes, the NCAA and the SEC in order to rectify the situation.”

Copyright 2020 WAFB. All rights reserved.