'Popeyes Kid' Dieunerst Collin Signs NIL Deal With Food Chain: PHOTOS

Home>
Trending>

        Kid From The 'Popeyes Kid' Meme Is All Grown Up—And He Just Signed A Deal With The Food Chain
    

        @FOS/Twitter
    
Dieunerst Collin, now a freshman outside linebacker at Lake Erie College, was offered a name, image and likeness (NIL) deal after becoming one of the most recognizable memes as a child.
By Joanna EdwardsJan 12, 2023
Joanna Edwards
Joanna Edwards wears many hats: student, data-wrangler and LGBTQ+ activist. Her main passion is writing, followed shortly by percussion, mediocre watercolor painting and scuba diving. A New Englander currently displaced to the South, she waits patiently for winter and its more reasonable weather.
 See Full Bio 
Top Stories
AI Powered

        Robert Redford's Daughter Calls Out Fans For Sharing 'Challenging' AI Tributes To Her Late Father
    

        Straight Guy Gets Epically Dragged After Claiming 'Friendsgiving' Is 'Homosexual' In Bizarre Hot Take
    
Ah, Vine, how we miss you. 
The now-defunct platform spawned a whole genre of short videos, but also made for prime meme fodder creating some of the more widely used reaction gifs of the last decade. 
The kid in one of the more popular ones, Dieunerst Collin, has grown up and spun childhood meme straw into football sponsorship gold.
As a refresher, this is the meme GIF:
Giphy
That kid? 
He's now a freshman offensive lineman at a Division-II college.
Jim Weber (@JimMWebter/Twitter) figured this out and started a social media campaign to get Popeyes to sign Collin to a NIL deal—the new type of sponsorship college athletes can get after recent NCAA rules changes.
\u201cThe @Popeyes meme kid @CollinDieunerst is now a freshman offensive lineman at Division II Lake Erie College and if this guy doesn't have an NIL deal by tomorrow, the Louisiana kitchen needs to clean house on upper management.\u201d
 — Jim Weber (@Jim Weber)
        1673210934
Collin picked the campaign up quickly after it had started.
"I JUST WANNA TALK" Collin said in an Instagram post he later reposted to Twitter.
See on Instagram
The Popeyes social media team responded on Twitter.
\u201cLet\u2019s get this bread(ing)\u270d\ufe0f\u201d
 — Popeyes (@Popeyes)
        1673403657
Collin held an Instagram live, thanking people for the campaign that got him the deal. 
He said of all the support he received:
"I didn't know the internet was like that."
\u201cDieurnest Collin on IG Live: "I didn't know the internet was like that"\u201d
 — Front Office Sports (@Front Office Sports)
        1673405128
Other social media teams took a moment to comment, or blatantly try to recruit Collin.
\u201c@JimMWeber @Popeyes @CollinDieunerst let's chat over lunch @CollinDieunerst\u201d
 — Jim Weber (@Jim Weber)
        1673210934
\u201c@CollinDieunerst @dieunerst @Popeyes @Popeyes do it for the vine\u201d
 — Dieunerst Collin (@Dieunerst Collin)
        1673213758
\u201c@JimMWeber @Popeyes @CollinDieunerst your team colors are already a match. Hit us up in the DMs if you want to chat \ud83d\ude0e\u201d
 — Jim Weber (@Jim Weber)
        1673210934

\u201c@JimMWeber @Popeyes @CollinDieunerst Gonna need us too\u201d
 — Jim Weber (@Jim Weber)
        1673210934
Commenting on the possibilities of the NIL sponsorship, someone thought of a more innovate option than the usual cash payment.
\u201c@Popeyes Ngl an NIL deal where the compensation is solely spicy chicken sandwiches would be incredible\u201d
 — Popeyes (@Popeyes)
        1673403657
Others were just reminded of the passage of time.
\u201c@FOS @CollinDieunerst we're getting old. Our memes are now in college.\u201d
 — Front Office Sports (@Front Office Sports)
        1673405128

\u201c@FOS @CollinDieunerst Definitely makes me feel old. \n\nGood for him on securing those chicken and biscuits plus the bag!\u201d
 — Front Office Sports (@Front Office Sports)
        1673405128
The decision to sign Collin already has worked out for Popeyes as many commenters said they were going to add a Popeyes' trip to their food plans.
\u201c@Popeyes I\u2019m getting Popeyes tomorrow solely bc of this\u201d
 — Popeyes (@Popeyes)
        1673403657

\u201c@Popeyes We going to Popeyes for dinner tonight!!\u201d
 — Popeyes (@Popeyes)
        1673403657
Really what we learned here is sometimes, memes can really pay off.
\u201c@Popeyes moral of the story: make memes\u201d
 — Popeyes (@Popeyes)
        1673403657
Can't wait for the next meme-to-sponsorship deal to happen, now that companies have realized this is possible.
Latest News
Political News
        Trump Slammed After Rudely Fat-Shaming Illinois Governor JB Pritzker During Turkey Pardon
    
Amelia Mavis Christnot
6h
Political News
        Trump Administration Slammed After EPA Approves 'Forever Chemical' Pesticides On Food
    
Amelia Mavis Christnot
6h
Political News
        JD Vance Is Getting Roasted Hard After People Noticed An Awkward Stain On His Tuxedo Shirt
    
Alan Herrera
6h
Political News
        Trump Family Dragged After Promise Of 'Trump Mobile' Phones 'Made In The USA' Goes Up In Flames
    
Alan Herrera
7h
Don’t Miss Out

      Join the
      ComicSands.com
      community and make your opinion matter.
    

The Top 5

Discover More

Ah, Vine, how we miss you.

The now-defunct platform spawned a whole genre of short videos, but also made for prime meme fodder creating some of the more widely used reaction gifs of the last decade.

The kid in one of the more popular ones, Dieunerst Collin, has grown up and spun childhood meme straw into football sponsorship gold.

As a refresher, this is the meme GIF:

Popeyes kid GIF Giphy

That kid?

He's now a freshman offensive lineman at a Division-II college.

Jim Weber (@JimMWebter/Twitter) figured this out and started a social media campaign to get Popeyes to sign Collin to a NIL deal—the new type of sponsorship college athletes can get after recent NCAA rules changes.

\u201cThe @Popeyes meme kid @CollinDieunerst is now a freshman offensive lineman at Division II Lake Erie College and if this guy doesn't have an NIL deal by tomorrow, the Louisiana kitchen needs to clean house on upper management.\u201d
— Jim Weber (@Jim Weber) 1673210934

Collin picked the campaign up quickly after it had started.

"I JUST WANNA TALK" Collin said in an Instagram post he later reposted to Twitter.

See on Instagram

The Popeyes social media team responded on Twitter.

\u201cLet\u2019s get this bread(ing)\u270d\ufe0f\u201d
— Popeyes (@Popeyes) 1673403657

Collin held an Instagram live, thanking people for the campaign that got him the deal.

He said of all the support he received:

"I didn't know the internet was like that."

\u201cDieurnest Collin on IG Live: "I didn't know the internet was like that"\u201d
— Front Office Sports (@Front Office Sports) 1673405128

Other social media teams took a moment to comment, or blatantly try to recruit Collin.

\u201c@JimMWeber @Popeyes @CollinDieunerst let's chat over lunch @CollinDieunerst\u201d
— Jim Weber (@Jim Weber) 1673210934

\u201c@CollinDieunerst @dieunerst @Popeyes @Popeyes do it for the vine\u201d
— Dieunerst Collin (@Dieunerst Collin) 1673213758

\u201c@JimMWeber @Popeyes @CollinDieunerst your team colors are already a match. Hit us up in the DMs if you want to chat \ud83d\ude0e\u201d
— Jim Weber (@Jim Weber) 1673210934

\u201c@JimMWeber @Popeyes @CollinDieunerst Gonna need us too\u201d
— Jim Weber (@Jim Weber) 1673210934

Commenting on the possibilities of the NIL sponsorship, someone thought of a more innovate option than the usual cash payment.

\u201c@Popeyes Ngl an NIL deal where the compensation is solely spicy chicken sandwiches would be incredible\u201d
— Popeyes (@Popeyes) 1673403657

Others were just reminded of the passage of time.

\u201c@FOS @CollinDieunerst we're getting old. Our memes are now in college.\u201d
— Front Office Sports (@Front Office Sports) 1673405128

\u201c@FOS @CollinDieunerst Definitely makes me feel old. \n\nGood for him on securing those chicken and biscuits plus the bag!\u201d
— Front Office Sports (@Front Office Sports) 1673405128

The decision to sign Collin already has worked out for Popeyes as many commenters said they were going to add a Popeyes' trip to their food plans.

\u201c@Popeyes I\u2019m getting Popeyes tomorrow solely bc of this\u201d
— Popeyes (@Popeyes) 1673403657

\u201c@Popeyes We going to Popeyes for dinner tonight!!\u201d
— Popeyes (@Popeyes) 1673403657

Really what we learned here is sometimes, memes can really pay off.

\u201c@Popeyes moral of the story: make memes\u201d
— Popeyes (@Popeyes) 1673403657

Can't wait for the next meme-to-sponsorship deal to happen, now that companies have realized this is possible.

Related Articles Around the Web

More from Trending

        Krista Mangulsone on Unsplash
    

        Times Pet Owners 'Severely Underestimated' Their Pets' Intelligence
    
Amelia Mavis Christnot
Nov 26, 2025
I've lived with cats—because no one owns a feline—most of my life. Some have been very clever creatures while others were real dingbats.
Family members have owned dogs whose talents also ran the gamut.
Keep ReadingShow less
Most Read
TV & Movies
        Bostonians Hilariously Weigh In After Tourist Notices Odd Detail About Infamous Cheers Sign
    
Morgan Allison Ross
19 November
Political News
        Police Bust ICE Employee Trying To Solicit Minor For Sex In Sting Operation—And His Excuse Is Going Viral
    
Amelia Mavis Christnot
20 November
Political News
        14-Year-Old Girl Has Mic Drop Message For Megyn Kelly After She Suggests Epstein Wasn't A Pedophile
    
Amelia Mavis Christnot
19 November
Political News
        Something Finally Clicked In Joe Rogan's Head About Trump's Election Claims—And His Realization Is Going Viral
    
Alan Herrera
14 November
Trending
        Woman Rejects Boyfriend's Proposal After He Bought $900 Ring From Walmart—And The Internet Has Thoughts
    
McKenzie Lynn Tozan
20 November

        Mauro Pimentel/AFP via Getty Images; Eric Lee/Getty Images
    

        Gavin Newsom Hits Sean Duffy With Gross Reminder After Duffy Tells People To Keep Shoes On During Flights
    
Alan Herrera
Nov 26, 2025
After Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy spoke out about air travel etiquette and not wearing pajamas or taking your shoes off on an airplane, California Governor Gavin Newsom called him out by reminding him of the time then-presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—now the Health and Human Services Secretary—walked around on a plane barefoot.
Duffy recently appeared at Newark International Airport in New Jersey, to discuss his efforts to “restore courtesy and class to air travel” by arguing that people taking more pride in their appearance on flights.
Keep ReadingShow less

        Meet the Press/NBC News
    

        Scott Bessent Blasted Over His Bonkers Suggestion For How To Bring Your Own Inflation Rate Down
    
Amelia Mavis Christnot
Nov 25, 2025
Continuing to follow the example of MAGA Republican President Donald Trump, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent appeared on Meet the Press Sunday to blame Democratic President Joe Biden for the financial downturn caused by Trump's tariff fiasco, then lied repeatedly about the state of the economy.
Meet the Press host Kristen Welker played a clip of MAGA Republican Vice President JD Vance telling a conservative audience at a Breitbart News event that Americans owe the Trump administration "a little bit of patience"—apparently while they figure out what tariffs are and how they work since they're rolling back more of them to lower consumer prices despite claiming Trump's tariffs don't affect consumer prices.
Keep ReadingShow less
Elsa/Getty Images

        Lindsay Lohan Is Now Sporting A New Accent—And Fans Aren't Sure What To Make Of It
    
Morgan Allison Ross
Nov 25, 2025
In a twist freakier than a sequel to Freaky Friday, Lindsay Lohan has debuted yet another new accent—this time at the Fashion Trust Arabia Awards in Doha, Qatar.
Draped in a maroon, jewel-trimmed gown by The New Arrivals Ilkyaz Ozel and accompanied by her husband, Bader Shammas, and their 2-year-old son, Luai, the actress looked serene, elegant, and completely unbothered by the collective whiplash she was about to inflict on the internet.
Keep ReadingShow less

        Gilbert Flores/Variety/Getty Images
    

        Jameela Jamil Speaks Out Against The Rise Of The 'Aesthetic Of Emaciation' Among Women In Hollywood
    
McKenzie Lynn Tozan
Nov 25, 2025
Content Warning: eating disorders, thinness as an aesthetic, emaciation in Hollywood
There's no denying that we've been gifted with some incredible music, television shows, and films this year.
Keep ReadingShow less
Load More

Latest Stories

Start your day right!

Kid From The 'Popeyes Kid' Meme Is All Grown Up—And He Just Signed A Deal With The Food Chain

Dieunerst Collin, now a freshman outside linebacker at Lake Erie College, was offered a name, image and likeness (NIL) deal after becoming one of the most recognizable memes as a child.

Latest News

Don’t Miss Out

More from Trending

Rats

Mule

Havanese Dog

Tabby Cat

Husky Dog

Bantam Hen

Border Collie/Husky Dog

Cat

Dog

Cat

Dog

Dogs

Cat

Labrador Retriever Dog

Amazon Parrot

Most Read