Accepting Free Ride to Tampa Puts a Finish to Bo Jackson’s Athletic Career at Auburn

A quick trip to Florida in the private plane of Tampa Bay Buccaneer owner Hugh Culverhouse ended Bo Jackson’s athletic career at Auburn, but the National Football League team said Friday that the Heisman Trophy-winning running back is “completely blameless.”

Phil Krueger, assistant to Culverhouse, said the Buccaneers arranged for Jackson, who was also an outfielder for the Tiger baseball team, to travel to Tampa last Tuesday to undergo a physical examination sought by the 18 NFL clubs that are members of the National Scouting Combine before next month’s draft of collegiate players.

Auburn officials announced earlier that Jackson’s baseball career had ended there because the two-sport star had violated a Southeastern Conference rule by accepting the trip.

Krueger said the flight was made on Culverhouse’s plane because Jackson wanted to return to Alabama in time for baseball practice the same day, but that it would have made no difference if he had traveled on a commercial airline.

“It had been cleared with the NCAA,” Krueger said, emphasizing that SEC guidelines concerning a player’s eligibility are more stringent than the NCAA’s.

Krueger said it was coincidental that the Buccaneers, who have the first overall selection in the April 29 draft, were given the responsibility of seeing that Jackson was given a physical. Most players were given examinations in New Orleans last month, but Jackson and others were not able to attend.

“We had responsibility for all Auburn athletes,” Krueger said.