TJ Finley's Attorneys Say the New Tulane Quarterback Was Victim of a 'Scam'
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Tulane is in a sticky situation at quarterback.
Following the shocking departure of their star Darian Mensah, head coach Jon Sumrall wasted little time adding some new faces to the room by bringing in three transfers -- TJ Finley, Donovan Leary and Kadin Semonza.
However, that unit is now down a man.
The Green Wave announced they had indefinitely suspended Finley following his arrest for illegally possessing a stolen vehicle.
Finley's lawyers -- David Courcelle and Scott Stansbury -- released a statement that says the sixth-year quarterback was the victim of an online scam.
"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," the statement read as reported by WDSU News.
From a football perspective, this has impacted Tulane greatly.
Finley was expected to be named the starting quarterback for the upcoming 2025-26 season after going through a battle with the other two in the mix. But with him now away from the program for the time being, pending the results of the investigation, the coaching staff has turned their attention elsewhere without positive results to show for it.
What comes from this investigation will be vital for both Tulane and Finley.
This is the last year of eligibility for the multi-time transfer, and he was preparing to become the signal caller for a school that has had nothing but success the past few seasons in the American Athletic Conference.
If what Finley's lawyers say is accurate, then there's a chance he'll be back with the Green Wave.
How long this investigation will take and if he will be cleared of wrongdoing will been seen, but until then, he will be away from the program.
