NFL Free Agent Odell Beckham Jr. Removed From Plane In Miami After Seatbelt Issue | HuffPost Latest News

MIAMI (AP) — NFL free agent Odell Beckham Jr. was removed by police from an aircraft before takeoff at Miami International Airport after officials said he failed to respond to requests to buckle his seatbelt and appeared to be unconscious, police and airline officials said Sunday.

“Fearing that Mr. Beckham was seriously ill, and that his condition would worsen through the expected 5 hour flight, [flight crew members] called for police and fire rescue,” Miami Dade Police Officer Luis Sierra said in a statement following the 9:30 a.m. Sunday incident.

American Airlines representative Alfredo Garduno confirmed that flight 1228 to Los Angeles returned to the gate before takeoff “due to a customer failing to follow crew members’ instructions and refusing to fasten their seat belt.”

Carlos Gauna, a passenger in business class, said he recognized Beckham before boarding the flight and later used his cellphone camera to record him walking through the airport terminal with police. He said Beckham had been seated in first class.

He said the aircraft was taxiing toward takeoff when the captain announced “a situation with a passenger” required a return to the terminal. Gauna said an ambulance arrived and paramedics boarded the aircraft and spoke with Beckham before police removed him.

A Twitter post attributed to Beckham appeared to refer to the incident, saying, “Never in my life have I experienced what just happened to me,” and adding with a misspelling that he had “seen it alll.”

Beckham, 30, is a three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver who has been a free agent since helping the Los Angeles Rams win the Super Bowl last February. He caught a touchdown pass before tearing a knee ligament in that 23-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.