From the hallowed football fields of the University of Illinois to the bustling big-city beat as a Chicago police officer, Christopher Pazan’s career might seem like a tale of diverse ambition and exciting twists. But of late, this narrative took an unexpected and less illustrious turn when his penchant for the game led him, allegedly, to pilfering a different kind of field of collectibles—baseball cards. In a bizarre tale filled with intrigue, financial strain, and unexpected choices, Pazan, a man once celebrated for his athletic prowess, now finds himself in a less enviable spotlight.
The former quarterback found himself ensnared not in the backfield rushing from defensive linemen, but rather caught on camera by the eagle-eyed security of a Meijer store in Evergreen Park. Surveillance footage reportedly captured Pazan slipping baseball cards, valued at approximately $300, into a yard waste bag—a tactical maneuver of sorts. Though he dutifully paid for the bag, his alleged attempt to leave without settling the balance for the cards caught the attention of the store’s security personnel, leading to his arrest by local law enforcement.
Pazan’s post-football career, navigated through the urban jungles of Chicago as a peace officer since 2015, has taken a tumultuous turn. Stripped of his police powers pending an internal investigation, he currently faces a murkier field in the form of a retail theft charge. Although the offense is classified as a misdemeanor, the repercussions extend far beyond the courtroom. Pazan is presently scrutinized as his department conducts a deeper dig into the incident.
Pazan’s journey began amid the fleet and flashes of Friday night lights at Brother Rice High School in Mount Greenwood, where he was celebrated as an All-American quarterback. He briefly carried this promise onto the collegiate field at the University of Illinois, even starting a few games—a noteworthy achievement chronicled in his university biography. After wrapping up his college football career, he took up the proverbial coaching whistle at Illinois and St. Joseph’s College. However, a different calling beckoned. In a candid 2015 narrative with the Chicago Tribune, Pazan reflected on his choice to trade the gridiron for the grit of policing, describing a yearning to serve society in a broader capacity.
His pursuit of civic duty even found a creative outlet as part of the Chicago Enforcers—a whimsical blend of law enforcement and football camaraderie in a police league setting. Nevertheless, beneath the veneer of an officer’s discipline lurk lingering financial shadows. Earning a salary upwards of $111,804, not including overtime, one might assume financial stability as a given. Yet, reality reveals a conundrum. Recent financial records and court documents depict a more beleaguered picture.
Pazan appears amid a storm of personal financial woes—a divorce complicating matters further. On the very day of his attempted card caper, he was due to face another kind of judgment in court regarding his divorce proceedings. Furthermore, his erstwhile legal counsel awaits $5,800 in unpaid fees, a sum for which his former advocate beseeches court intervention. To navigate these murky waters, he is reportedly refinancing his Beverly home, an act with resonances of irony given his policing duties originally included handling nuanced cases of financial nature.
His monetary missteps aren’t a new development. Last year, efforts by Fifth Third Bank to collect a debt amounting to over $4,000 echoed through the courts only to dissipate after a failed attempt to locate Pazan. JPMorgan Chase’s lawsuit for a grim $15,000 provides another layer to Pazan’s financial fabric—a drama settled and paid off by 2024.
With city hiring guidelines placing significant markers against recruits burdened by debt, there’s a distinct irony in Pazan’s position. His circumstances, now public, venture into a narrative many departments strive to avoid—to prevent recruits from falling prey to corruption or financial coercion due to fiscal vulnerability.
Scheduled for a courtroom appearance on June 23, Pazan will face the music at Bridgeview, the setting for his ongoing legal saga. Whether this erstwhile quarterback turned lawman’s journey will see a redemption arc akin to sports dramas remains to be seen. For now, Christopher Pazan stands amidst the public eye, his saga a stark reminder of how life’s unexpected interceptions can lead even the once-steady to cross paths with the wrong side of the law’s blindside blitz.
