San Francisco 49ers wide receivers coach Leonard Hankerson has joined the online commentary surrounding Daejon Love, a man accused by federal prosecutors of posing as a 49ers player to facilitate an alleged romance and investment fraud scheme.
Hankerson posted an altered image to Instagram on Sunday that appeared to show him coaching Love on a practice field, both in 49ers gear. The coach captioned the image, "Man I hate we lost him…. He was balling!!! 😂."
The post quickly gained traction on social media, where users have been creating a fictional 49ers career for Love and discussing the details of the federal case. Former 49ers receiver Kendrick Bourne also commented on Hankerson's post, playing along with the joke.
Love, 35, and alleged accomplice Taylor Chan were arrested on Aug. 24 at Boise Airport. They were charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. Prosecutors allege Love presented himself to women he met online as a 49ers player or a wealthy real estate investor, with Chan purportedly acting as his financial advisor. Authorities state that at least 26 identified victims sent the pair approximately $1.3 million, and the FBI suspects there may be more victims.
Videos and social media posts linked to Love's alleged football persona have surfaced since the charges became public. Reports mention one clip appearing to show him staging his own 49ers "signing day," and another where Love pointed to a Google AI result that incorrectly identified him as a San Francisco wide receiver. These elements have fueled jokes from 49ers fans regarding Love's nonexistent statistics and injury history.