Laremy Tunsil wants to flip the script on the wildest moment in NFL draft history.
The Texans offensive tackle announced Wednesday he is turning his infamous gas mask bong video — which was leaked right before the start of the 2016 NFL Draft and tanked his stock — into a non-fungible token that will be sold with a portion of the proceeds going to charity.
“For the past six years, I’ve been asked about this moment,” Tunsil tweeted. “The gas mask. I’ve spent six years trying to do rather than say – on the field and off the field. I spoke with [Complex in 2021] for the first time about this moment and today, the day before [the 2022 draft] I’m officially moving on and putting this moment in the past.
“I’m minting a 1-of-1 NFT of the infamous gas mask video to be listed. A portion of the proceeds will benefit [Last Prisoner Project] which supports those incarcerated for cannabis offenses.
“I’m looking toward and excited for the future and am grateful for all of those that supported me on my draft night and those that have and will continue to support my journey!”
Tunsil was a serious contender to be the No. 1 pick out of Ole Miss before the Rams made their big deal with the Titans to move up and draft quarterback Jared Goff. He was a no-doubt top-10 pick. And then his Twitter was hacked and the video leaked right as the draft started and all hell broke loose.
Tunsil ended up falling to the Dolphins at No. 13 after several teams pulled him off their board. He also ended up admitting NCAA violations during a press conference after another hack — this one on his Instagram — showed screenshots of texts he sent to an Ole Miss official asking for money to pay his mother’s electric bill.
The Giants were criticized at the time (and still are) for passing on Tunsil at No. 10 despite their well-documented offensive line woes. They made the disastrous Eli Apple pick instead. But there was no way John Mara was ever signing off on Tunsil in the moment. It would have been a complete circus. The back pages would have been amazing though.
