Popeyes meme kid, Dieunerst Collin, reacts to Popeyes NIL deal
PAINESVILLE, Ohio (BVM) 鈥� The Popeyes meme kid, Dieunerst Collin, has received a NIL deal from Popeyes, announced Tuesday night. Collin is currently a freshman football player at Division II Lake Erie College.听
Collin went viral as a meme back in 2013 after giving the side-eye at a Popeyes restaurant 鈥� . Now, he鈥檚 an 18-year-old, 6-foot-1, 330-pound offensive lineman with a Name, Image and Likeness deal with one of the largest chicken chains in the nation.听
鈥淭his is crazy, I really came from the Popeyes meme,鈥� Collin said on his Instagram Live moments after the NIL announcement. 鈥�… It鈥檚 an honor. That鈥檚 really all I can say. Everybody who commented 鈥楶opeyes鈥� and made it happen, bless.鈥�
On his Instagram Live, Collin thanked the thousands of supporters who made this NIL deal happen. Just over 48 hours ago, Collin asked his followers to get the attention of Popeyes so that he could 鈥渢alk business鈥� 鈥� shown below.听
I NEED EVEYONE TO GO TO MY INSTAGRAM REPOST MY RECENT POST AND TAG I JUST WANNA TALK馃檹馃従
— Dieunerst Collin (@CollinDieunerst)
Collin used his meme — as well as a photo from when he won the football state championship with East Orange Campus High School (New Jersey) in 2021 — to ask his followers on and to tag Popeyes. The reactions were overwhelming from people demanding that Popeyes give Collin an endorsement deal. Over two days, his Twitter post received over 700 retweets and 38,000 likes on Instagram.听
Popeyes listened almost immediately. The fast food chain to Collin, 鈥淟et鈥檚 get this bread(ing),鈥� to confirm the sponsorship deal publicly on Tuesday.听
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know the internet was like that 鈥� now I know to never doubt the internet,鈥� Collin said on his Instagram Live. 鈥�…I鈥檓 trying to soak up the moment, it鈥檚 a lot to take in.鈥�
Collin is currently in his second semester at Lake Erie College. What makes this NIL deal more unique is that It鈥檚 also rare for a DII player to get a deal with a massive company.听
In responding to an Instagram Live comment, 鈥淢y boy got that bag,鈥� Collin responded with, 鈥淐an鈥檛 say nothing about that,鈥� 鈥� suggesting that the worth of the NIL deal will likely stay undisclosed.听
So what does Collin鈥檚 NIL deal entail? A Popeyes commercial? Chicken buckets with his meme on them? A recreation of the meme? Or possibly, a family combo named after him since that鈥檚 what Collin claims he ordered on that historic day a decade ago.听
In terms of his future outside of chicken, Collin responded to a comment about his potential future in the NFL.
鈥淚f it does happen (getting drafted in the NFL), I鈥檇 just be lucky to be in the position,鈥� Collin said on his Instagram Live.听
Overall, this may be the most iconic NIL deal in college sports history yet.听
鈥淵a鈥檒l, go get yourself a chicken sandwich,鈥� Collin said on his Instagram Live.
