Bridget Hyland
nj.com
Back in November, Odell Beckham Jr. was kicked off of a flight from Miami to Los Angeles before the plane took off.
This week, the Miami-Dade Police Dept. released body cam footage from the incident which show the police addressing Beckham after flight attendants said the wide receiver failed to follow instructions and refused to fasten his seatbelt. Flight attendants eventually told police they wanted Beckham off of the flight.
“I’ve never had this happen to me,” Beckham says in the footage. Police then explained to Beckham that if he did not get off the flight, they would be forced to deplane everyone. Beckham sits on his phone as other passengers pack their belongings.
Per TMZ Sports, a passenger told Beckham to just get off of the plane, to which Beckham responded:
You’re everything wrong with the world. Looking at me to get off a plane, for you. I would never. Ever in my life get off the plane for you. Specifically you. Maybe everybody else, I would get off the plane.”
Beckham continued, “You gon’ wait 40 minutes and I’m going to be on a private plane home. Yeah, with your fat ass. Get your ass off the plane for a second.”
“Enjoy the cheese board on the way home with your ugly ass.”
Here is the statement Beckham’s attorney, Daniel Davillier, issued after the incident:
Earlier today, Odell Beckham Jr. boarded a morning flight in Miami without any problems. The flight was delayed after boarding and prior to take off. Mr. Beckham fell asleep with his blanket over his head, which is his normal practice for long flights. He was awaken and told that the plane was back at the gate and that he needed to get off the plane because he did not put his seatbelt on when asked.
He responded that he was asleep, and that he would put his seatbelt on at that time. He was informed that it was too late, and that either he would have to get off the plane or everyone would have to de-plane. The overzealous flight attendant insisted on removing everyone from the plane instead of simply allowing Mr. Beckham to fasten his seatbelt and proceed with the flight.
At no time was Mr. Beckham disruptive or combative. He was willing to comply with the seatbelt requirement, but the flight attendant wanted to prove that he had the authority to have Mr. Beckham removed from the flight. The airline proceeded to send Mr. Beckham’s luggage to Los Angeles without him.
Footage released of Odell Beckham Jr. being removed from plane in late November pic.twitter.com/u1PUv05KaU
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) January 12, 2023
The incident was unnecessary. Sleeping on a plane should not be cause for removal from a flight. If they could wake him up when the flight returned to the gate, then they could have done the same thing to ask him to put on his seatbelt.
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Bridget Hyland may be reached at bhyland@njadvancemedia.com.
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