Former NFL first-round pick Robert Nkemdiche was reprimanded by police officers in newly released body camera footage following his detention for an alleged grocery theft in Georgia, according to reports.
The incident occurred around 10:45 p.m. on Feb. 25 in Union City, where officers from the Union City Police Department confronted Nkemdiche after he allegedly left a Kroger store with items concealed in his sweatpants.
Body camera video, obtained and released this week, captured officers discovering discarded goods—including candy bars, frozen meals and cartons of almond milk—after Nkemdiche reportedly fled and ditched them behind a nearby gas station.
One officer, addressing the handcuffed former defensive lineman, expressed frustration over repeated encounters.
“Look, man. We’re not going to play these games,” the officer said, according to the footage. “Because I’ve ran into you too many times. And you keep lying. You can say whatever you want to say. But I just watched you walk out of here with a big-ass bulge in your pants. I asked you what it was. You said nothing.”
The officer continued: “Then, to give you the benefit of the doubt, I was like, ‘OK. Maybe he’s just got, I don’t know, like, a condition.’ I let you go, and I see you just take off running behind the gas station.”
Another officer interjected: “Yes the f—k you did. Stop lying to me.”
A female officer noted the pattern, saying, “This is a repeated offense for you,” and adding that it was her “third time” questioning him.
Nkemdiche initially denied the allegations but later apologized in the interaction, stating he would “never do it again” and attributing the act to being “in a rush” because his manager had been providing him food.
Kroger representatives indicated they did not wish to press charges related to the alleged theft. However, a records check revealed multiple outstanding warrants for Nkemdiche across several states, leading to his arrest. He was booked into jail around 1:44 a.m. on Feb. 26 and released approximately six hours later.
Nkemdiche, 31, an Atlanta native, was selected No. 29 overall by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2016 NFL draft after starring at Ole Miss. He appeared in five NFL seasons with the Cardinals, Miami Dolphins and Seattle Seahawks, with his last roster stint coming in a 2022 preseason with the San Francisco 49ers.
The body camera footage highlights officers’ exasperation with what they described as recurring issues involving Nkemdiche. The incident drew attention amid his post-NFL career trajectory.
