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NFL rookie hazed with classic team dinner prank

AN NFL rookie has been ruined by an impromptu hazing from teammates that left him staring at a silly dinner bill.

Tyson OttoTyson Otto
@tottodtsport
2 min read
December 21, 2016 - 1:31PM
Ouch.
Ouch.

WHEN you have a 152kg teammate with the nickname “BBQ,” splitting a dinner bill was always going to be a difficult minefield to negotiate.

Houston Texans rookie K.J. Dillon walked right into the ambush.

The 23-year-old safety was left to foot the bill at a team dinner that got a little out of hand.

Dillon was left staring at a check of $US16,255 after a group dinner to celebrate the Texans’ thrilling 21-20 comeback win over Jacksonville earlier this week.

With a 10 per cent tip for the service staff, Dillon is looking at a payment of around $18,000.

It was a truly happy occasion, right up until the bill got plonked in front of the West Virginia University product.

K.J Dillon got hit. Picture: Joe Robbins/Getty Images
K.J Dillon got hit. Picture: Joe Robbins/Getty Images

His teammates wolfed down $349.65 on sea bass with lobster and $105.90 for two servings of filet mignon.

Hennesy Paradis Imperial cognac was the beverage of choice — apparently. Between them, the group put away $7,700 of the rare cognac which can be bought in Australia for around $900 for a 700ml bottle.

In the case of the thirsty Texans players, Dillon ended up splurging $350 for each glass of the fancy hooch.

Buying 22 rounds of $350 drinks isn’t the worst part of this story.

According to the punked NFL star’s Twitter account, the cheapest meal on the ticket — a $12.95 Caesar salad — was the only think Dillon ordered.

“Me lol,” he said in response to a fan’s question about which player ordered the salad.

He later deleted the Twitter exchanges.

He also doesn’t drink. For real.

“I don’t even drink lol,” he said before deleting his tweet with a picture of the ludicrous dinner bill.

It means Dillon was responsible for ordering 0.07 per cent of his group’s total bill.

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The scene of a rookie getting stuck with a team bill is nothing new in the NFL.

However, this is not a clear cut case of a mega-rich athlete paying an exorbitant will with the pocket change from his seven-figure salary.

Recruited by Houston as the 22nd pick of the fifth round of the 2016 NFL draft — the No. 159 pick overall — Dillon reportedly scored a four-year contract that could be worth $2.6 million if he activates every performance-based clause in his contract.

This season he was paid $374,000 after receiving a signing bonus of $235,000.

It is unknown if Texans defensive lineman D.J. “BBQ” Reader attended the dinner.
It is unknown if Texans defensive lineman D.J. “BBQ” Reader attended the dinner.

He is yet to make his NFL debut and can be cut at any time without receiving any payout for the remaining three years on his deal.

The $16,255 bill might be a little bit easier for Dillon to cover than you or me, but it’s still a hefty whack to his personal finances.

Thankfully, he seems to have a pretty good sense of humour about the whole thing.

After being inundated with concerned queries from fans on social media about how he has been recovering from the stitch-up, Dillon let everyone know things aren’t desperate just yet.

You’ll know it’s desperate if his next post features two-minute noodles.

Originally published as NFL rookie hazed with classic team dinner prank

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Original URL: https://www.ntnews.com.au/sport/american-sports/nfl/nfl-rookie-hazed-with-classic-team-dinner-prank/news-story/33cc3f2f867d9814ec0c5f5987cac8b6