NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE Arrest warrant issued for Browns’ Odell Beckham Jr. after video shows him slapping officer’s backside
Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. did not endear himself to New Orleans police Monday night when he apparently slapped a Mercedes-benz Superdome security officer on the backside in the Louisiana State University football team’s locker room after the Tigers defeated Clemson for the national championship.
On Thursday morning, New Orleans police obtained an arrest warrant for Beckham on a charge of misdemeanor simple battery in relation to the incident, the New Orleans Police Department Public Affairs Division confirmed for the Beacon Journal.
Nola.com first reported the warrant had been issued after a video of the incident circulated online.
“We are aware of the incident and have been in touch with Odell and his representatives on the matter,” a Browns spokesperson said in a prepared statement. “They are cooperating with the proper authorities to appropriately address the situation.”
LSU also released a statement Wednesday saying it’s investigating whether Beckham, a former Tigers star, handed out real money to some of its players after the win.
Quarterback Joe Burrow said the cash Beckham distributed was real despite LSU associate athletic director Robert Munson initially telling reporters the bills seen in online videos were fake. The NCAA prohibits its players from receiving impermissible benefits.
“I’m not a student-athlete anymore, so I can say yeah,” Burrow, the projected No. 1 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft, said on a Barstool Sports podcast Wednesday when asked if the money was real.