Eight Philadelphia youths cost their football team the national championship after they were arrested for shoplifting over $2,200 worth of merchandise from a Dick’s Sporting Goods store in Florida.
The youths, ages 14-15, took an Uber to the Dick’s Sporting Goods store in Polk County on Saturday, Dec. 6.
The teens allegedly stole a total of 47 items worth more than $2,200.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd identified the kids as Daimon Johnson; Elijah Myers; Ibm-Mahdee Abdul-Haqq; Jacob Smith; Marcus Hudgens; Mark Bryan; Tymir Smith and Tymir Speller.
During a press conference to announce the arrests, Sheriff Judd said the kids “systematically” robbed the store while one of the kids paid for an item legitimately.
They then put all of the stolen items in the shopping bag. Store security waited until the youths left the store to call police.
The teens were arrested at the store.
Judd said that when the deputies called their football coach, he raced to the scene to beg officers not to take them into custody.
Judd said their football coach tried to “beg them out of it instead of holding them accountable.”
When the deputies said no, the coach went to the store manager and asked him not to press charges.
“And for the coach, you’re way off base here, buddy. You’re the ultimate loser,” Judd said. “If you’d been coaching these kids up right, if you knew where they were, if you didn’t allow them to Uber away, they would’ve played in a ball game Saturday night.”
“They were not taking bubble gum, one piece to chew. They stole over $2,000 worth of products, over 47 different products,” Judd added.
The 8 youths were members of the United Thoroughbreds team from Philadelphia. They were in town to face the Coco Tigers team at a national tournament.
“I don’t know if these all were starters or not, but we were finishers,” Sheriff Judd said.
The team lost the National Championship game 26-6 to Florida’s Coco Tigers team.
The championship game was held hours after the arrests.
“They let the team down. What about the rest of the kids on the team?” the sheriff continued.
“If you don’t steal, we’re your new best friends. If you steal, we’re your worst enemy. Merry Christmas.”
The youths are required to return to Florida to face felony charges.
Ocho adolescentes negros de Filadelfia fueron arrestados por un robo en Dick's Sporting Goods en el condado de Polk en Florida ??. Un gerente de la tienda llamó para informar del robo en curso. Los adolescentes eran miembros de un equipo de fútbol que viajó por un torneo local. pic.twitter.com/OKtUo0m5bx
— Eduardo Menoni (@eduardomenoni) December 9, 2025
NEW: Florida Sheriff Grady Judd GOES OFF on Philadelphia football coach after eight teen players were arrested for robbing Dick’s Sporting Goods
The eight teenagers are accused of stealing 47 items worth more than $2,200
Judd said the group “systematically” swept the store by… pic.twitter.com/58VBapgQNd
— Unlimited L's (@unlimited_ls) December 9, 2025
