Tulane quarterback TJ Finley has been suspended following his arrest Wednesday in New Orleans on a charge of illegal possession of stolen things worth more than $25,000.
Finley, 23, whose name is Tyler Jamal, was booked and released. Tulane said in a statement that the length of the suspension will depend on the outcome of his case. The school cited privacy laws in declining to comment further.
University police responded Wednesday to an address where a truck was blocking a driveway. After looking up the license plate, police saw it registered to a vehicle stolen in Atlanta. Finley arrived to move the car and informed the officer that he had bought the truck recently.
Attorneys for Finley -- David Courcelle and Scott Stansbury -- issued a statement Thursday afternoon saying their client was the victim of a "scam" after he "purchased a used truck" via a social media marketplace.
Finley received "both a bill of sale and registration, giving TJ every reason to believe the purchase was legitimate," the statement read. "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."
He's scheduled to appear in court June 1.
Tulane coach Jon Sumrall briefly addressed Finley's suspension Thursday with reporters, saying he couldn't comment on the legal situation.
"When things happen off the field, it's unfortunate," he said. "I'll let the statement say for what it is, but when guys make mistakes, then they have to have accountability."
Finley transferred to Tulane in December after spending the 2024 season with Western Kentucky. He had been competing for the team's starting quarterback job in spring practice alongside fellow transfers Kadin Semonza and Donovan Leary.
Finley, a native of Ponchatoula, Louisiana, started his college career at LSU before transferring to Auburn for two seasons and then Texas State in 2023. He started five games for both LSU and Auburn but had his most success with Texas State, passing for 3,439 yards and 24 touchdowns.