The culmination of the 2020 College Football Playoff was a beautiful moment for Odell Beckham Jr. Not only did he get to watch his alma mater, LSU, topple Clemson for its first national title since the 2007 season, but he also got to do it with VIP status from the Tigers sideline.
The incident with Odell Beckham Jr. slapping a security guard’s butt after the LSU championship game, explained
Beckham Jr. slapped a security guard’s butt in the LSU locker room. There was originally an arrest warrant, but that has now been withdrawn.
Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images
Then things got ... weird. A celebration that started with Beckham handing out $100 bills to still-in-uniform LSU players led to an arrest warrant for simple battery after he slapped a security guard’s behind. The warrant was later rescinded.
How’d we get here? It’s a play in five acts (so far):
1. Beckham, after watching the game as a special guest from the LSU sideline, celebrated the Tigers’ win on the field by passing out money to players
Beckham had access to the Superdome turf as a valued alum of LSU’s football program and had been a fixture at football games in the past. He’d even lobbied the team band to play the maybe/kinda/sorta-banned Cameo song “Neck” (and the NSFW chant that goes along with it) at a 2017 home game, reportedly offering to pay any fine that resulted.
This gave him special access to the 2019 Tigers. While he’d given every player on the team headphones before the championship game — a move cleared by the NCAA — that wasn’t enough. Cameras rolled as Beckham appeared to hand cash to various players as confetti fell in New Orleans.
LSU wideouts Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson — both of whom were semifinalists for the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top wide receiver (Chase went on to win) — apparently gave Beckham their jerseys after the game as well.
Beckham also joked about selling Jefferson’s cleats for the low collector’s price of $200,000.
Jefferson later declared for the 2020 NFL Draft, where he’s expected to be an early-round pick. Chase, who is just a sophomore, won’t be eligible to jump to the pros until next spring.
2. LSU players celebrated by lighting up cigars in the Superdome locker room (to the police’s dismay)
The Tigers commemorated their national championship like most winning teams do — with a smoky postgame celebration featuring rolled tobacco. They even tweeted out pictures of Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Joe Burrow looking like a mid-game Len Dawson.
Unfortunately for LSU, smoking indoors is illegal in the state of Louisiana. One of the New Orleans police officers assigned to the team made a note of this and threatened to arrest any player who refused to put out their cigar. Another officer told players the smoking was OK, and no arrests were made.
3. Beckham slapped a security guard’s butt in the LSU locker room
A security guard drew Beckham’s attention after telling offensive lineman Damien Lewis to extinguish his cigar. The Browns’ wideout slapped him square on the behind moments later.
The slap seemingly wasn’t malicious, but video clearly shows the All-Pro wide receiver making unwanted contact with a uniformed security guard. Though the video doesn’t show how the confrontation between the two ended, Beckham was not arrested at the scene.
Though original indications suggested the man Beckham slapped was a police officer, New Orleans police have since confirmed he was a security guard instead.
4. LSU launched an investigation into Beckham’s on-field cash giveaway
LSU first denied the money Beckham handed out was real. This was contradicted by Burrow, who told Barstool Sports’ podcast Pardon My Take the bills passed along from the Browns star were, in fact, legal tender. As a result, the university was forced to make a statement launching an investigation into the giveaway and whether or not it violated NCAA rules.
5. Beckham originally faced arrest for simple battery after his postgame butt slap, but that’s no longer the case
On Jan. 16, three days after the national championship game, an arrest warrant was issued for Beckham for simple battery. Louisiana statute defines simple battery as battery committed without the consent of the victim. Punishment may include a fine of no more than $1,000, imprisonment for no more than six months, or both.
This was a downgrade from the original charge sought for misdemeanor sexual battery. That request was declined by a local judge, leading to the simple battery accusation in its place.
Days later, NOLA.com reported that the security guard decided not to press charges, which led to the warrant being withdrawn:
The Browns, navigating their first stupid crisis since hiring brand new head coach Kevin Stefanski, said they’re monitoring the situation when it first happened.
Although Beckham no longer faces arrest, it’s unclear whether this incident will bring about any team or league discipline.
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