Tulane quarterback TJ Finley was arrested in New Orleans and charged with possession of a stolen item worth more than $25,000, according to multiple reports.
Fox 8 in New Orleans is reporting that court documents indicate Finley told authorities that he purchased the car in question in Atlanta.
He has been released from jail.
Finley began his college football career at LSU in 2020. He has since played for Auburn, Texas State and Western Kentucky. He is currently enrolled at Tulane where he plans to play his final year of eligibility in 2025.
Finley was a three-star member of the LSU signing class in 2020 out of Ponchatoula (La.). He played in five games for the Tigers as a true freshman before spending the next two season at Auburn. His best season came at Texas State in 2023 where he threw for 3,439 yards, 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions. His 2024 season at Western Kentucky was cut short due to injury.
UPDATE:
Finley’s attorney David Courcelle issued the following statement regarding the incident:
“TJ Finley was a victim of a Facebook Marketplace scam. He purchased a used pickup truck from an individual who presented himself as John Spillway, representing Mountain Adventures, LLC. Spillway presented TJ with both a bill of sale and registration, giving TJ every reason to believe the purchase was legitimate.
“Within three days of the purchase, Tulane police informed TJ that the truck had been reported stolen. TJ looks forward to continuing to cooperate fully with the authorities in hopes of recovering the funds he lost, bringing the criminal(s) to justice, and clearing his name and reputation. TJ is hopeful that this process will be completed quickly so that he can move forward with his academics and athletic career.”
Jon Sumrall, the Tulane head coach, was asked about the matter at his press conference Thursday.
“Legally, I’m not in a position to be able to dive into it,” he said. “When things happen off the field, it’s unfortunate. I’ll late the statement stand for what it is. When guys make mistakes, they have to have accountability.”
Tulane coach Jon Sumrall gives a statement on the suspension of QB TJ Finley from the football program.
Finley was arrested for illegally possessing a stolen item worth more than $25,000. According to court documents, he told authorities he had just bought the car from Atlanta. pic.twitter.com/B7pmITKusP
— Garland Gillen (@garlandgillen) April 3, 2025
This story will be updated
