STEPHEN A. Smith has hit out at police for holding Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill to the ground when he was arrested on Sunday.
Hill was arrested close to the Hard Rock Stadium before the Dolphins played the Jacksonville Jaguars.
He was cited for careless driving and a seatbelt violation, according to reports.
Bodycam footage showing officers forcing Hill to the ground has been released.
And speaking on The Stephen A. Smith Show, ESPN presenter Smith voiced his anger at those scenes.
“Why do you need him face down on the ground?” Smith asked.
“Do y’all know how hot it was in Florida yesterday? You know how ht that ground must have been?
“You put his body and face on the pavement.
“You feel the need for three, four, different officers to surround him while that’s happening?
“Once you put him in cuffs, you stand him up. And then afterwards, some other officer comes down a minute later or so and forcibly sits him down. Why?”
The footage shows shows Hill being placed in handcuffs as he was driving to the opening Dolphins game of the 2024 NFL season.
“Take me to jail, brother,” he said. “Do what you have to do.”
Officers could be heard telling Hill to “stop crying” after he was dragged out of his car and forced to lay face down on the ground.
“When we tell you to do something, you do it. You understand?” an officer told him.
Hill later pretended to be handcuffed while celebrating a touchdown in the Dolphins victory.
And the 30-year-old wide receiver posted on social media, “Let’s make a change.”
The Dolphins fully backed their player in a statement.
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“We are saddened by the overly aggressive and violent conduct directed towards Tyreek Hill by police officers before yesterday’s game,” the statement said.
“It is both maddening and heartbreaking to watch the very people we trust to protect our community use such unnecessary force and hostility towards these players.
“Yet it is also a reminder that not every situation like this ends in peace, as we are grateful this one did.
‘What if I wasn’t Tyreek Hill?’ is a question that will carry with resounding impact.
“We will stand beside Tyreek and our players as they work to use their platform and this situation to make a positive impact in our community.”