Two University of North Carolina football players were cited following a Chapel Hill traffic stop on Tuesday night, September 16, 2026. Freshman wide receiver C.J. Sadler received a speeding ticket, while fellow freshman Keeyun Chapman was arrested on a misdemeanor weapon charge. Both players are listed as out for Saturday’s game against Clemson.
Traffic Stop on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Charges Filed
The Chapel Hill police report notes that the traffic stop occurred at 1050 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard at approximately 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 16, 2026. Officers pulled over a black 2024 Cadillac Escalade V registered to freshman wide receiver C.J. Sadler. Police reports showed they were pulled over Tuesday night in Chapel Hill shortly after 10 p.m. around Northfield Drive.
According to the police documentation, Sadler was driving between 60 and 65 miles per hour in a posted 35-mile-per-hour zone. Authorities also indicated that the vehicle had been reported roughly an hour prior as a careless and reckless driver. The traffic stop resulted in Sadler receiving a speeding citation—his third such citation since the beginning of August—and he is scheduled to appear in court on November 4.
Fellow freshman wideout Keeyun Chapman, a true freshman from Jackson, AL, was a passenger in the vehicle and was arrested at the scene. Chapman was charged with carrying a concealed weapon, specified in the report as a handgun, which constitutes a misdemeanor. He is scheduled to appear in court on October 13. Inside Carolina reports that there were two other players aside from Sadler and Chapman in the vehicle, though their identities are unknown at the time of publication.
Marijuana Seizure and Program Impact Ahead of Clemson Game
Officers seized approximately 15 grams of marijuana from the interior of the Cadillac Escalade during the stop. WRAL reported that 15.1 grams equates to slightly more than half an ounce, noting that possession of half an ounce or less is a misdemeanor in North Carolina carrying a maximum fine. The report doesn’t indicate if anyone was cited for possession.
The disciplinary fallout was swift for the North Carolina football program, which enters Saturday’s matchup against Clemson with a 2-0 record. It is the first ACC game for both teams, coming after Clemson defeated UNC 38-10 in Chapel Hill last season. Both Sadler and Chapman have been designated as out for UNC’s game at Clemson Saturday, and were listed as out on the ACC’s initial availability report ahead of the Tar Heels’ conference opener.
Sadler has emerged as a playmaker under head coach Bill Belichick, sitting third on the team in receptions and receiving yards with four catches for 73 yards on the season, including three receptions for 66 yards in the Tar Heels’ victory against East Tennessee State University. Chapman, who is yet to record a reception this season, has not appeared in a game this year for UNC.
“We are aware of the incident involving UNC football student-athletes Tuesday night in Chapel Hill. We are cooperating fully with the university and local officials, and will have no further comment while gathering additional information.”
UNC football spokesperson, via WRAL
Broader Context and Ongoing Program Scrutiny
The traffic stop compounds a turbulent period for the North Carolina athletic department, serving as the latest hiccup for a program that is currently the subject of an internal investigation. WRAL previously reported that 20% of UNC’s 101-player roster had been cited for speeding, a tally that included 10 reckless driving charges. In May, WRAL reported on a series of parking complaints and speeding tickets among UNC football players. UNC spokespeople told WRAL at the time: We work with our athletic programs to ensure that players are educated about driving safety, and we will continue to work with all our teams on safe driving education.
Additionally, the football program remains the subject of an internal investigation, which began last month when former general manager Michael Lombardi was placed on paid administrative leave before he later resigned. WRAL reported that the scope of the probe has expanded as outside investigators, hired by the university, have asked people associated with the program about sexual relationships between staff members and about potential drug use by defensive coordinator Steve Belichick, who is on indefinite medical leave.
Keep reading
