Christopher Pazan, once a formidable quarterback at the University of Illinois and now a Chicago police officer, appears to have taken a disconcerting detour into the world of sticky fingers rather than sticky pigskins. This week, Pazan found himself in headlines, not for his feats on the field but for a rather unusual off-field scrimmage. In what could be described as a bizarre double play, the lawman allegedly veered from upholding the law to breaking it, all for the love—or perhaps the desperate need—of baseball cards.
This saga unfolded on a seemingly ordinary Wednesday afternoon in the suburbs of Chicago. The scene was set at a Meijer store on South Western Avenue in Evergreen Park, where Pazan reportedly attempted to acquire around $300 worth of baseball cards, not through legal tender but via a more underhanded approach.
According to the local authorities, particularly Sgt. Victor Watts of the Evergreen Park Police, Pazan’s tactic was less of a sleight of hand and more of a clumsy fumble. A security guard, armed with the sharp eyes reminiscent of a watchful outfielder, caught Pazan’s alleged maneuver on camera. It was said that Pazan attempted to execute a well-conceived but poorly executed play by slipping the cards into a yard waste bag. Ingeniously, perhaps, he did pay for the yard waste bag, yet somehow forgot the minor detail of settling the bill for the cards taking asylum within.
Pazan’s career in law enforcement kicked off in 2015 when he joined the Chicago Police Department. However, the ink on his badge was barely dry before his powers were put on ice pending an internal investigation into these shopping habits gone awry. Before this episode, Pazan was representing the Morgan Park District and lending his expertise to the central investigations division, tackling complex cases that ironically include financial crimes.
Efforts to dial in comments from Pazan’s legal representation have gone unanswered, leaving the world to wonder about the narrative spinning inside the former quarterback’s huddle. Pazan likewise remains as elusive as an MVP quarterback dodging defensive linemen.
But why would an officer-turned-gridiron-warrior, with a tidy salary of $111,804 annually, stoop to such antics over collectible baseball cards? While many might dub it a simple misdemeanor—a very legalistic stab at humor indeed—dipping into Pazan’s personal life reveals a story of financial troubles worth more than a few box scores.
Before his days among the underworld of baseball card shadow dealers, Pazan was celebrated as an All-American quarterback at Brother Rice High School in Mount Greenwood. His talents catapulted him to the University of Illinois, where he donned the maroon of the Fighting Illini. Those who revel in the nostalgia of sports trivia recount his time as a coach at both Illinois and St. Joseph’s College, long before he swapped locker rooms for locker searches.
In 2015, a reflective Pazan in an interview with the Chicago Tribune spoke of yearning to serve a different kind of team, espousing ambitions beyond the chalk marks of the football field. His passion led him to the Chicago Enforcers, a police football league and sporting arena for law enforcement officers. Yet, somewhere between the field and foot patrol, Pazan appears to have fumbled the ball of fiscal responsibility.
Recent court documentation peels the layer of financial struggle off Pazan’s stoic persona. Currently submerged in the throes of a divorce, he was due in court on the very day of his alleged heist. Legal entanglements have left him in debt to his former lawyer, Tania K. Harvey, who recently motioned for unpaid fees exceeding $5,800. This financial turmoil has pushed Pazan to refinance his Beverly home in a bid to cover costs spiraling from legal battles and personal obligations.
Glancing back a year, you’ll uncover a history sticky with missed dues and dodged settlements. Fifth Third Bank’s pursuit of a $4,000 debt fizzled out prematurely when the bank couldn’t pinpoint Pazan’s whereabouts—or perhaps, his whereabouts were simply misdirection on the quarterback’s part. Chronicling further back in the annals of financial skirmish, JPMorgan Chase’s suit for more than $15,000 ended in settlement, its debt score settled by mid-2024.
According to city employment filters, debt can keep potential recruits from the Chicago police academy, a safeguard against corruption-prone candidates. Ironically, it seems that the very perils Pazan was trained to counter might have been lurking a little too close to home.
Pazan now faces a misdemeanor retail theft charge, and the calendar is set for his court appearance on June 23 in Bridgeview, where the stakes will weigh on his ability to clarify these allegations. Whether this arrest will be flagged down as a flagrant foul or an interception of justice remains a riveting story yet to be told. Meanwhile, the world watches, perhaps entertained but certainly waiting, as the tale of the quarterback with his eyes on the trading cards continues to unfold.
