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2025NFLWeek 15

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Trolls Youth Football Team After 8 Of Their Players Were Arrested For Robbing Dick’s Sporting Goods Store [VIDEO]

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This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.

Sheriff Grady Judd and Dicks Sporting Goods suspects
Sheriff Grady Judd and Dicks Sporting Goods suspects (Photo via X)

Philadelphia youth football players visiting Florida for a tournament were arrested and charged after they were caught shoplifting over the weekend. 

The Sheriff involved in their detention did not hesitate to identify them either. 

Young football players traveling out of state usually do so for one reason: to play football. Of course, it’s also customary to enjoy whatever the location has to offer if time and finances permit. However, helping themselves to over $2,000 worth of stolen goods is something that’s never on the agenda. 

Unfortunately for the young band of eight, this was allegedly the case. 

The players, who represent the United Thoroughbreds, were in Davenport to play the Coco Tigers for the Prolifix Sportz National Championship. They got caught up in some extracurricular activity that was not on the schedule. 

According to the Daily Mail, the teens stand accused of shoplifting 47 items worth over $2,200 from Dick’s Sporting Goods. Their arrests had an impact on the team, which lost the championship game 26-6 in their absence. 

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd trolled the youngsters at a press conference this week.

“I don’t know if these were starters or not, but we were finishers,” he said. 

Ron DeSantis Also Had Something To Say

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (Photo via Imagn Images)

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis also took a shot at the players after a video of the Sheriff was shared on social media.

“They picked the wrong state — and the wrong county,” he tweeted.

The eight players will need to travel back to Florida for court following their arrests. They are all aged between 14 and 15 years old. 

“They allegedly stole a total of 47 items worth more than $2,200, and Judd said the group ‘systematically’ swept the store by splitting into two groups,” Judd said.

Judd noted that the team’s coach rushed into the store to plead with officers not to take the players into custody once they were caught. 

“They were not taking bubble gum, one piece to chew. They stole over $2,000 worth of products, over 47 different products,” he said.

He added:

“They let the team down. What about the rest of the kids on the team?

“If you don’t steal, we’re your new best friends. If you steal, we’re your worst enemy. Merry Christmas.”

They were taken to a juvenile detention center in Florida and are facing two felony charges of retail theft over $750 and conspiracy to commit retail theft.  

Authorities noted that none of the teens had prior records.

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