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According to Miami-Dade police, the free-agent wide receiver "appeared to be in and out of consciousness" as an American Airlines flight crew tried unsuccessfully to get him to fasten his seatbelt prior to the departure of a flight to Los Angeles around 9:30 a.m. Nov. 27.
"Fearing that Mr. Beckham was seriously ill, that his condition would worsen through the expected 5 hour flight, the attendants called for police and fire rescue," the department wrote. "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.”
OBJ, 30, apparently isn't facing any charges and appears still on track to hit New Jersey, upstate New York and Texas beginning later this week after narrowing down a list of teams he'd like to play for as the 2022 season heads toward the final full month of the regular season and the playoffs early next year.
Twitter was aflutter with posts, including a brief video of Beckham being escorted through the airport.
According to Chris Daly@ctopherd:
"Before we left the gate they announced would Odell Beckman come forward. I thought that was close to OBJ’s name but slightly off. Our plane taxis down the runway but we go back to the gate because of a problem.
"So we get back to the gate and police come on the plane and go to first class. We wait another 20 minutes and then there’s an announcement that everyone has to get off the plane with their luggage because of company policy.
"While exiting someone asked the cop guarding first class what the problem was and he said somebody wouldn’t get off the plane. So everyone deboards and waits to see who the cops are going to take off the plane and it was OBJ, no cuffs or anything.
"People cheered when he was escorted off the plane and a few had their phones out already and recorded it. Now everyone is reboarding but no OBJ obviously. So odd."
Beckham made a vague reference to the incident in a series of tweets:
"Never in my life have I experienced what just happened to me… I’ve seen it alll..
"Never. In. My . Life
"I COULD NEVER MAKE THIS UP.
To which CG@TheMalibuArtist replied: “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.”
The incident comes in advance of meetings that the eight-year NFL veteran reportedly has scheduled with the New York Giants in East Rutherford this coming Thursday and with the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas on Dec. 5.
A meeting with the Buffalo Bills also apparently was scheduled.
Beckham began his career with the Giants before being traded to the Cleveland Browns. He tore his ACL in last season's Super Bowl win for the Los Angeles Rams before becoming a free agent.
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