Tennessee football preseason preparations took a hit when wide receiver Chris Brazzell was arrested Aug. 8 on charges of driving with a suspended license and speeding, according to a Knoxville police report obtained by Knox News.
At around 8:57 p.m., police clocked Brazzell driving at 60 mph in a 35 mph zone on the Henley Street Bridge in downtown Knoxville near the UT campus. The news quickly went viral when Adam Spark posted the update on X.
Tennessee wide receiver Chris Brazzell arrested on charges of driving on a suspended license.
Here are the details.https://t.co/rerYLFfX7o
— Adam Sparks (@AdamSparks) August 10, 2025
Upon being stopped, Brazzell is said to have produced a U.S passport, but informed the policeman that he did not have his driving license on him. A record check showed that he had his license suspended because he did not appear in court in Blount County on Aug. 15, 2024. Police arrested him because of his previous record of failure to appear in court. Brazzell will be in court on Aug. 20.
According to Knox News, a Tennessee spokesperson said they know about the traffic stop that Chris Brazzell II was involved in, but cannot comment anymore on August 10 (Knox News).
How Chris Brazzell’s Arrest Could Impact Tennessee Football
Chris Brazzell is a redshirt junior, transferring to Tennessee in 2024, who grew up in Midland, Texas. A 21-year-old is the best returning wide receiver of UT, and in the previous season, he made 29 receptions, 333 yards, and two touchdowns. One of his greatest moments came in October, when he scored the game-winning touchdown against Alabama.
Brazzell is arrested at a difficult moment in the Tennessee wide receiver corps. The Vols only have seven scholarship receivers on the 2025 roster, and only three of them have participated in a college game.
Chris Brazzell has not been a full participant in practice because he is rehabbing an unspecified injury and working with athletic trainers on a one-on-one basis. Redshirt freshman Mike Matthews also has been sidelined with a minor injury, and Braylon Staley is out completely with an unspecified problem.
This has made Tennessee rely on freshmen and walk-ons during preseason workouts. It will likely limit the quarterbacks, including Joey Aguilar, Jake Merklinger, and George MacIntyre, as they compete to get the starting position with minimal reps with the most experienced receivers on the team, according to Adam Sparks of Knoxville News Sentinel.
The Vols play Syracuse in Atlanta on Aug. 30 (noon ET, ABC), and it is unknown whether their best receiver will play in the opener.
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