NFL free agent Miles Sanders is facing a DUI charge after a June arrest near Pittsburgh in which police say they found the former Pro Bowl running back slumped over behind the wheel of a vehicle stopped in the middle of a highway.
Sanders, 29, was arrested June 8 in Churchill Borough and is charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance and careless driving. TMZ reported the case on Aug. 27 after court records detailing the arrest became public.
The arrest occurred close to where Sanders grew up and played at Woodland Hills High School before attending Penn State. He is currently unsigned after spending the 2025 season with the Dallas Cowboys, where knee and ankle injuries ended his year after four games.
Sanders’ attorney has declined to discuss the allegations in detail. The DUI case remains pending, and Sanders has not been convicted of the charge.
Police Say Sanders Was Difficult to Wake
An officer found Sanders in the driver’s seat of a silver Lexus that was motionless in the middle of William Penn Highway near Beulah Drive, according to the criminal complaint obtained by CBS Pittsburgh. Police said several attempts were made to wake him. The complaint describes Sanders as “in and out of consciousness,” “extremely lethargic” and unable or unwilling to answer questions as officers tried to make contact with him.
After Sanders got out of the vehicle, police said his eyes appeared glossy and his breath smelled of alcohol. According to the complaint, Sanders acknowledged drinking earlier that day.
Officers administered standardized field sobriety exercises and reported multiple signs of impairment. Police said a portable breath test returned positive for alcohol, and WPXI reported that Sanders subsequently refused a chemical test.
Police also reported recovering a sealed package of suspected marijuana products from the vehicle. Current court reporting does not identify a separate marijuana-possession charge stemming from the stop.
The Charges Were Filed More Than Two Months After the Arrest
Although Sanders was taken into custody June 8, Allegheny County court records show that the DUI and careless-driving charges were formally filed Aug. 20.
Attorney Phil DiLucente gave KDKA-TV a brief statement after the case became public. “This is a private matter that has not even reached the preliminary hearing stage and there will be no further comment,” he said.
Early reports listed a Sept. 23 preliminary hearing. Updated court information subsequently showed that the proceeding had been continued to Oct. 28.
The Case Became Public as Sanders Searched for Another NFL Job
Former Pro Bowl running back Miles Sanders worked out for the Raiders today, per source.
Sanders, a free agent, is fully cleared from a knee injury that required surgery and cut short his 2025 season in Dallas. pic.twitter.com/1XpN9HmUTt
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) July 27, 2026
Sanders has been trying to return to an NFL roster after his abbreviated season in Dallas. He appeared in four games for the Cowboys in 2025 before injuries to his knee and ankle sent him to season-ending injured reserve.
On July 27, Sanders worked out for the Las Vegas Raiders after being medically cleared following knee surgery, according to NBC Sports. The Raiders did not sign him, and NFL.com continues to list Sanders as an unrestricted free agent.
Sanders’ best NFL season came with Philadelphia in 2022, when he rushed for 1,269 yards and 11 touchdowns and earned his first Pro Bowl selection. The Eagles had drafted him in the second round out of Penn State in 2019 before he later played two seasons for Carolina and one for Dallas.
Across 88 regular-season games, Sanders has 4,462 rushing yards and 24 rushing touchdowns, along with 1,274 receiving yards and four touchdown catches.