LSU's Justin Jefferson says money given to him by Odell Beckham Jr. was donated to his church
The sight of Cleveland Browns receiver Odell Beckham Jr. handing out wads of cash to LSU players after the Tigers knocked off Clemson in the national championship caused a bit of an uproar.
Star wide receiver Justin Jefferson was one of the players who was captured being given money by Beckham. Though LSU initially claimed the money was fake, Jefferson told reporters on Tuesday at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis that he paid the money back to avoid any potential NCAA compliance issues.
And the money went to a good cause: his church.
Justin Jefferson donated his OBJ money to his church, he said, after talking to NCAA compliance folks. “We knew we shouldn’t have done it,” he said. “It was in the heat if the moment” that the Browns’ receiver handed him cash on the field after the NCAA title game. pic.twitter.com/5ojQoCmJZ8
— Les Bowen (@LesBowen) February 25, 2020
Jefferson, who caught 111 passes for 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2019, declared for the NFL draft only a few days after the CFP title game, so he would not have been subjected to any potential NCAA violations. He still opted to donate the money anyway.
Jefferson wasn’t the only player to receive money from Beckham, and LSU later said it would launch an investigation to make sure no NCAA violations occurred.
“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,” LSU said last month.
"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.”
With any potential lingering issues from that situation resolved, Jefferson has turned his focus toward this week’s combine. This year’s draft is considered historically deep at the receiver position, and Jefferson is rated near the top of that group following a standout career at LSU.
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