Cardale Jones became an improbable hero on Monday when the third-string quarterback led Ohio State to a national championship over Oregon. Though Jones went from mostly unknown to NFL contender in a few short months, he surprised many Thursday by opting not to enter the NFL draft and spend another year in Ohio.
But Jones’ teammates wouldn’t let him get away with his announcement without poking some fun at the new star. The redshirt sophomore scheduled a news conference at his Cleveland high school at 4 p.m. to explain why he was staying put. Before, during and after the conference, his teammates gleefully tweeted about Jones’ miniature version of LeBron’s “The Decision.” Jones’ roommate and teammate Tyvis Powell kicked off the Twitter frenzy:
Then came the inevitable LeBron comparisons:
As Jones walked up to the podium to make his announcement at 4:15 p.m., Drake’s “Started From the Bottom” began playing in the gymnasium.
During the conference, Jones said he plans to study financial planning and pursue that career when he’s done playing football, prompting this two-part tweet from his roommate:
With teammates like these, it’s no wonder Jones didn’t want to leave college early.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Donald Trump Is TIME's 2024 Person of the Year
- Why We Chose Trump as Person of the Year
- Is Intermittent Fasting Good or Bad for You?
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- The 20 Best Christmas TV Episodes
- Column: If Optimism Feels Ridiculous Now, Try Hope
- The Future of Climate Action Is Trade Policy
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Write to Eliana Dockterman at eliana.dockterman@time.com