Defensive back Juantarius Bryant was the victim of a very mean hoax.
The former Austin Peay defensive back tweeted a statement Saturday that he’d been tricked into traveling to Atlanta for the Falcons rookie minicamp, despite the fact he didn’t have a legit offer from the team. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)
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He’d been talking with someone posing as defensive coordinator Dean Pees, who convinced him to travel up for a tryout. Upon arriving, it was made clear that he didn’t have a position on the team.
You can read his full statement below.
It’s been a rough few days, but I felt the need to clear the air and get this off my chest. Honestly ready to move on from the situation. pic.twitter.com/yUJELOstZW
— Juantarius Bryant (@TheyLoveMyHair_) May 15, 2021
According to ESPN, Bryant’s agent later tweeted, “Juan has handled this situation with class. I hate the situation and have talked with representatives at the Atlanta Falcons. All parties involved are frustrated but @TheyLoveMyHair_ will get his opportunity soon.”
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Of all the mean hoaxes to pull on someone, having them travel to Atlanta for a nonexistent tryout is about as bad as it gets.
ESPN’s report didn’t indicate the person responsible for this nonsense has been caught, but I hope they are.
I don’t know if they did anything illegal, but they still deserve to be publicly flamed for going after Bryant like this.
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Hopefully, Bryant gets an NFL tryout. After this terrible development, we need a positive ending to this story.