Jonathan Odom Accuses Billy Napier of Mistreating Players, Claims He Was Accused of Faking Concussion
Former Florida tight end Jonathan Odom took to Twitter on Saturday night to publicly accuse head coach Billy Napier of mistreating players, sharing a personal experience in which he says Napier accused him of faking a concussion.
The controversy unfolded after former Florida wide receiver Jacob Copeland, who transferred to Maryland in 2022 before Napier’s arrival, posted a tweet criticizing the coach: “Napier is some (poop emoji).” Odom quickly responded, agreeing with Copeland’s sentiment.
“Treated a lot of his players like it too,” Odom tweeted, further elaborating on his own experience with Napier’s leadership style.
Odom continued by sharing a specific incident from 2023 when he played through injury. “Basically in 2023 while playing on half a leg, I got a concussion on this play…” he wrote, attaching a clip of the play. “After I didn’t clear protocol after 2 weeks, they called me in and accused me of faking it. That’s just the start of it.”
He went on to reveal that after he confided in his parents about the situation, his father—who is in the UF Hall of Fame—contacted Napier. According to Odom, Napier explained that accusing him of faking was “just a motivation tactic.”
After Odom’s tweets, Copeland joined the conversation, reflecting on his own decision to transfer to Maryland despite his fondness for the Florida program. “People were mad I left… I didn’t want to leave. After my talk with [Billy Napier] I knew what it was.”
Despite his criticism of Napier, Odom did acknowledge three members of the Florida coaching staff that he respects, writing: “Having said that, they do have 3 goats on the staff (William Peagler, Frank Ogas, Paul Silvestri). Those guys are top tier.”
Odom, who played 25 games at Florida, recorded 16 receptions for 144 yards and two touchdowns, both of which came in the 2022 season before his injury. He later transferred to Eastern Michigan but ultimately decided to sit out a year and re-enter the transfer portal.
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