Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was beyond ecstatic to see his alma mater win Monday’s CFP National Championship against Clemson. But in celebrating the win, it sure looked like Beckham broke NCAA rules.
Viral video taken from the on-field celebration showed Beckham handing out hundred-dollar bills to LSU wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Jontre Kirklin by way of a money handshake. While Jefferson and Kirklin could potentially declare for the NFL Draft, the chance that Beckham handed money to underclassman could have spelled a nightmare for LSU’s compliance staff.
But according to a report from The Advocate, the money that Beckham handed out wasn’t real.
OBJ handing out cash to LSU players pic.twitter.com/xKjyot8boh
— 🥥 Bennie Jennings (@volblood) January 14, 2020
The LSU spokesperson was not quoted in the story, saying only that the money was fake. Though it’s impossible to definitively tell from Twitter videos, the money certainly looked real.
Theoretically, the money could have been prop money commonly used for television and film — like the cash below.
But that would require everyone to believe that Odell Beckham Jr. really went out of his way to purchase prop money and hand it out after the title game.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, LSU head coach Ed Orgeron and linebacker Patrick Queen said they were not aware of Beckham handing out cash on Monday night. Per NCAA rules, players are not allowed to receive cash gifts from non-family members.
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