Body camera footage from Feb. 25 shows former NFL first-round pick Robert Nkemdiche being detained by Georgia police for shoplifting frozen meals and other items from a Kroger, with officers noting it was their third interaction with him.
Though Kroger did not press charges for the theft, Nkemdiche was arrested on the very next day due to multiple outstanding warrants, capping a tumultuous career that included stints with the Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins, and Seattle Seahawks. He finished with 59 tackles and 4.5 sacks over 38 games.
Officer schools ex-NFL DT Robert Nkemdiche on lying about Kroger shoplifting
The bizarre incident happened around 10:45 p.m. Police said Nkemdiche left a Kroger with items hidden in his sweatpants. An officer on a routine check reported seeing large, square-shaped objects under his clothing.
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Jan 9, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche (92) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Officers called for backup as Nkemdiche walked toward a nearby gas station, where he was detained and placed in handcuffs. The items were no longer on him at the time, but police said they found the groceries scattered in the parking lots nearby.
One female officer — who noted it was her third time questioning Nkemdiche — didn’t hold back on camera, saying the ex-NFL star was lying.
Shesaid, “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. 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…Yes the f—k you did. Stop lying to me.”
Nkemdiche eventually apologized and promised to stop stealing. He claimed he only did it because his manager was bringing him food and he was “just in a rush.” While Kroger didn’t press charges, they did have him banned from the store.
That would have been the end of it, but when officers ran his name, they found several outstanding warrants in multiple states, including three in Georgia. Local officials requested a hold on him, and he was taken to jail. Records show he was booked at 1:44 a.m. on Feb. 26 and released about six hours later.
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It’s a bleak ending for a career that fell short of expectations. In three seasons with the Cardinals, Nkemdiche managed only 4.5 sacks over 38 games. Brief stops with the Dolphins and Seahawks didn’t help.
Despite earning approximately $13.9 million over five NFL seasons, he didn’t record a single sack until his third year in 2018. The dominant player scouts promised never showed up. Instead, he’s now 31, caught on bodycam being lectured by a police officer over almond milk.