For some reason, traffic stops expose the raw tensions of authority and power dynamics in America, and the recent incident involving NFL star Tyreek Hill is no different. What should have been a routine stop for speeding and failure to wear a seatbelt turned into yet another armchair quarterbacking session. And like many high-profile encounters with law enforcement, the situation quickly escalated into something more.

Setting the Tone: Tyreek’s Misstep

Hill’s attitude from the start set a combative tone. The moment he told the officer, “Just give me my ticket, bro,” Hill signaled a dismissive stance, one that smacks of entitlement. It’s the kind of attitude that suggests he expected to be treated differently, perhaps better, because of his status as a professional athlete. Whether he meant it that way or not, by rolling up the car window during the stop Hill only added fuel to the fire. Hill later explained that he was trying to avoid attracting attention from onlookers, but the message the officers received was likely, “I don’t need to follow your rules.”

In a country already grappling with deep divisions between law enforcement and communities, Hill’s approach—intentionally or not—invited confrontation. We’ve seen this dynamic before: high-profile figures expecting a pass, forgetting that the badge on the officer’s chest doesn’t care who you are. Still, Hill’s reluctance to fully cooperate at the outset didn’t justify what followed.

The Overreach: Police Escalation

While Hill may have erred in tone, the police made a more dangerous mistake in action. Instead of de-escalating the situation or exercising patience, the officers quickly pulled out the hammer of justice and utilized physical force. There is no denying that dragging someone out of their car, throwing them on ground, and pinning them down with a knee to the back seems excessive for what amounted to traffic violations. Yes, Tyreek wasn’t immediately cooperative. Yes, he could have handled things differently. But when did a failure to keep a window down become a reason to escalate to physical force? Tyreek’s behavior was juvenile at best but the officer’s behavior was not only unprofessional but unreasonable.

The officer’s statement “Do what we tell you, or we’ll break the window” wasn’t just about enforcing compliance; it was about asserting his authority. And in a world where the power of the state and the freedom of the people are constantly clashing, it’s hard to ignore how often citizens find themselves on the wrong end of that equation.

Two Wrongs, One Ugly Outcome

There is plenty of blame to go around. Tyreek Hill handled this situation in the worse way and his actions definitely contributed to the tension. And while Tyreek’s behavior was distasteful, the police response was disproportionate and, frankly, unnecessary. There is a fine line between maintaining order and enforcing authority, and far too often, we see that line crossed.

It is particularly troubling just how easily these situations can spiral out of control. The officer could have simply written a ticket and Hill could’ve gone on his way. Instead, we got a scene: a Black man face down on the asphalt, a sports star detained in front of his teammates, and a country once again reminded of the fragile line between compliance and resistance.

The Elephant in the Room

It’s no secret that Tyreek Hill’s experience resonates with countless Black men in America. As his teammate Jevon Holland bluntly put it, “Excessive force on a Black man—that’s not uncommon.” When I hear that, I can’t help but wonder: would the officers have been as quick to put Hill on the ground if he wasn’t a Black man in a fancy car? I’m not saying the outcome would have been different, but the question lingers.

Hill is black and social media is ablaze about the treatment of black men at the hand of police. If Hill was concerned for his safety at this traffic stop, he wouldn’t have behaved in such an entitled manner.

I was pulled over by a state trooper driving to Wasilla a few months ago. As the trooper approached my window, my hands were face high, palms facing where the trooper could see them. I had the always requested documents readily available, as I always place them in my visor when I drive. I do this because traffic stops are dangerous for all parties involved and I don’t want to have to open a bag, a glove box, the center console, or reach for anything during the stop. I do this because my life has taught me to be cautious in this situation. I don’t know the trooper and he doesn’t know me. Either one of us could be having a bad day. I comply with every reasonable and/or legal command. What I don’t do is initiate the need for the officer to have to deescalate the situation. It’s not that I don’t think the officer should know how, but I don’t know if the officer is going to, so I don’t risk it.

Based on Tyreek’s behavior I observed in the video released by the police, I don’t believe this was a racial issue. Tyreek displayed an entitled attitude and the officer’s ego couldn’t handle someone not respecting “his authority”. Candidly, the officer needs to be disciplined, maybe even fired. It is obvious that his badge is far too heavy for him to carry.

This situation was incited by two rather large egos.

The question we should all be asking is: How do we fix this? Because, at the end of the day, this incident reflects a larger societal problem. It’s not just about Tyreek Hill or the Miami-Dade police. It’s about the fact that, in moments like this, the power dynamics on both sides collide—and no one walks away unscathed.

Terre Gales is an Air Force veteran and former police police officer in Arizona. He has worked at the Municipality of Anchorage and State of Alaska. He was the chair for the group Dunleavy for Alaska in 2018. He lives in Wasilla with his wife and four children.