The Auburn Tigers, who were already a little thin at quarterback, announced Thursday that presumptive starting quarterback TJ Finley was arrested in Lee County, Alabama on a misdemeanor charge of attempt to elude police.
As per WRBL, Finley (seen above during last year’s Birmingham Bowl) was riding his moped without a helmet and when the police tried to stop him, he took off. He later turned himself in at the Lee County jail, was arrested, and made bond.
Auburn assistant police chief Clarence Stewart told reporters that this was not the first time Finley had done this.
Official statement from Auburn police department on the arrest of Auburn QB T.J. Finley: pic.twitter.com/KAWQVe2EHn
— Nathan King (@NathanKing247) August 4, 2022
“Police twice attempted to stop a male who was operating a motorcycle without a helmet in the same area on July 26, 2022,” Stewart said. The man, who police identified as Finley, fled police “and committed several other traffic offenses in the process,” Stewart said.
“Officers terminated the pursuit on both occasions as a matter of safety,” he said.
Auburn head coach Bryan Harsin said that the team is “aware of what’s going on.” After Finley was released on bond, he appeared at practice Friday.
Finley, who transferred from LSU last year, was thrust into the spotlight after former Tigers quarterback Bo Nix was hurt towards the end of last season. Now Nix has transferred to Oregon, which many think means that Finley most likely will start for the Tigers this upcoming season.
This offseason also saw Finley become the first major college athlete to sign a NIL deal with Amazon. But that all may be up in the air with his arrest.
[NBCSports.com; photo from Marvin Gentry/USA Today Sports]
