San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk had an unusual police encounter recently, with the officer seemingly believing Aiyuk was driving a stolen car.
In an eight-minute video, Aiyuk showed off his newly-purchased Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, only to get pulled over minutes after driving it off the lot. The wide receiver vents that he was pulled over after going 53 MPH in a 55, but that does not appear to be the cause of the issue.
In the filmed encounter with police, the officer appears suspicious that Aiyuk is driving a stolen car, as Dodges are popular targets for car thieves.
The officer suggests Aiyuk had been previously cited for driving an unregistered Dodge, which was also newly-purchased at the time. The wide receiver points out that the vehicles were never registered as stolen and that he has no need to steal cars.
The officer responded by saying he does not watch football and had no way of knowing who Aiyuk is.
Ultimately, the situation ends amicably, with Aiyuk even joking with the officer about popping the hood to let the cop see what is under it.
Hilariously, another part of the video shows that the vehicle has a vanity plate installed by the dealer that reads “I practically stole it,” presumably as an advertisement for an affordable deal. One would figure nobody would be driving around with that kind of plate if they actually did steal the car.
Aiyuk signed a huge contract extension with the 49ers last offseason, so he can certainly cover the cost of a luxury car. Fortunately, it does not appear that he got into any meaningful trouble over what seems to have simply been a misunderstanding.
The 26-year-old receiver had established himself as a star entering 2024, with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons to his name. He was limited to seven games last season due to a devastating knee injury and is hoping to be good to go for the start of the 2025 campaign.
