Free agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was removed from an American Airlines flight at Miami International Airport on Sunday morning after the flight crew become concerned for his well-being, according to a statement released by the Miami-Dade Police Department.
Odell Beckham Jr. Removed From Flight
Per the statement, Miami-Dade police officers were dispatched after what is described as a “medical emergency.” Beckham was “in and out of consciousness” before the flight departed, and the flight crew tried to wake him up to fasten his seat belt.
Beckham was set to depart on a five-hour trip to Los Angeles, and the crew feared his “condition would worsen” during the flight. Once officers arrived on the scene, the crew “asked Mr. Beckham several times to exit the aircraft, which he refused.”
American Airlines then deplaned the aircraft. Officers subsequently asked Beckham to leave the flight, and he “did so without incident.” Passengers then boarded the plane, which then took off for Los Angeles.
The Miami-Dade Police Department’s statement reads, “At approximately 9:30 a.m., officers from the Miami-Dade Police Department were dispatched to a medical emergency at an American Airlines flight. The flight crew was concerned for a passenger (Mr. Odell Beckham). As they tried to wake him to fasten his seat belt, he appeared to be coming in and out of consciousness prior to their departure.
“Fearing that Mr. Beckham was seriously ill and that his condition would worsen through the expected 5-hour flight, the attendants called for police and fire rescue. Upon the officers’ arrival, the flight crew asked Mr. Beckham several times to exit the aircraft, which he refused. The aircraft was deplaned, at which time Mr. Beckham was asked by the officers to exit the plane, and did so without incident. Mr. Beckham was escorted to the non-secure area of the terminal by the officers, where he made other arrangements.”
The airline released a brief statement on Sunday afternoon, saying, “American Airlines flight 1228, with service from Miami (MIA) to Los Angeles (LAX), returned to the gate before takeoff due to a customer failing to follow crew member instructions and refusing to fasten their seatbelt. The customer was removed and the flight re-departed at 10:54 a.m. local time.”
A passenger, who was waiting at the gate after having to get off the plane, tweeted, “Forcing us off the plane because you were unresponsive and unruly is not comedy to the hundreds of folks trying to get home dude. Not cool man.”
Forcing us off the plane because you were unresponsive and unruly is not comedy to the hundreds of folks trying to get home dude. Not cool man. pic.twitter.com/9w6Y2X0sE4
— CG (@TheMalibuArtist) November 27, 2022
What This Means for Beckham
Beckham, who suffered a torn ACL in the Super Bowl while playing for the Rams, had been expected to land with a new team soon. As he nears medical clearance, teams like the Cowboys and Giants had lined up meetings with the free agent wideout.
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At present, it’s unclear if this incident will have any effect on Beckham’s free agency or NFL status. We’ll have to wait for more details to emerge on what led to Beckham’s state on Sunday morning, but it’s safe to say it’s concerning.