Few moments in NFL draft history have been as shocking, chaotic, and ultimately inspiring as the night the world watched the laremy tunsil mask video go viral a clip of laremy tunsil smoking through a gas mask live on national television. It was a story that had everything: a top prospect, a hacked social media account, falling draft stock, and millions of dollars on the line. But what makes this story truly remarkable is what happened next. Tunsil did not just survive the scandal. He thrived. And years later, he made one of the most creative moves in sports history by turning that infamous moment into something meaningful.
Who Is Laremy Tunsil? The Ole Miss Left Tackle the NFL Couldn’t Ignore
Before the chaos of draft night, Laremy Tunsil was simply the best offensive lineman in college football. He played at Ole Miss and was widely considered the most dominant left tackle to enter the NFL draft in years. Scouts praised his size, his footwork, and his natural athleticism. He could protect a quarterback’s blindside better than almost anyone coming out of college.
Here are some fast facts about Tunsil before the 2016 draft:
- Position: Offensive Tackle / Left Tackle
- College: Ole Miss (University of Mississippi)
- Height: 6 feet 5 inches
- Weight: 310 lbs
- Draft projection: Widely predicted as the #1 overall pick
- Strengths: Pass protection, athleticism, quick feet, elite size
The tackle out of Ole Miss had everything NFL teams were looking for. Multiple mock drafts had him going first overall. ESPN analysts spent weeks talking about how certain it was. Going into the start of the 2016 NFL draft, Tunsil was not just a top prospect he was the prospect.
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The Laremy Tunsil Gas Mask Video: What Actually Happened
At the start of the draft, just minutes before NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was scheduled to announce the first pick, something extraordinary happened. Someone posted a gas mask video on Tunsil’s Twitter account. The video showed tunsil smoking marijuana through a gas mask bong a device where a bong is attached to the inside of a gas mask so the user inhales smoke through the full mask. It was jarring, unexpected, and impossible to ignore.
The clip spread instantly. Within seconds, the infamous gas mask video was everywhere. ESPN anchors scrambled to address it on live television. Social media exploded. NFL teams watching the draft froze. This draft moment just seconds before picks began may be one of the most stunning in all of NFL history.
“It was the most dramatic pre-draft incident I’ve ever seen in my career covering the league.” — ESPN analyst on draft night
The video of him wearing a black gas mask and inhaling smoke made it impossible for teams to ignore the risk. One by one, teams that had been considering Tunsil began to pass. The draft board shifted in real time.
What is a gas mask bong?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Device type | Bong attached to a gas mask |
| How it works | Smoke fills the mask, user inhales through it |
| Why it’s controversial | Creates intense, enclosed smoke experience |
| NFL concern | Implied substance use by a top prospect |
How the Gas Mask and Smoking Scandal Tanked His Draft Stock
The gas mask and smoking video caused an immediate panic among NFL front offices. Tunsil had been expected to be the #1 pick. Instead, he watched team after team pass on him. The 1 of 1 NFT moment that would come years later was born here in the pain of watching millions of dollars evaporate on live TV.
Tunsil eventually became a top-10 pick but not the first overall pick everyone expected. He was selected by the Miami Dolphins at pick number 13. The difference between pick #1 and pick #13 in rookie contract terms is enormous.
Estimated money lost due to the draft slide:
| Pick Position | Estimated Rookie Contract Value | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| #1 Overall | ~$27–29 million (4-year deal) | — |
| #13 Overall | ~$13–15 million (4-year deal) | ~$12–15 million lost |
That is roughly $12 to $15 million dollars that Tunsil lost in a matter of minutes, simply because someone posted that bong video to his hacked social media account.
Then came the press conference. And it got worse.
When a reporter asked directly whether the video of him smoking marijuana was real, tunsil said something that shocked everyone again. He paused, looked down, and quietly confirmed it. The room went silent. Tunsil told reporters the truth when almost every PR consultant in sports would have advised him to deny it. That honesty was both devastating and, in retrospect, deeply admirable.
The Ole Miss Coach Text Messages : A Second Bombshell
The gas mask chaos was not the only story that night. Shortly after the gas mask bong video made headlines, more leaked content appeared this time from Tunsil’s Instagram account. Screenshots showed what appeared to be text messages between Tunsil and an ole miss assistant athletic director and ole miss coach discussing payments made to Tunsil and his family.
This was a serious accusation. NCAA rules at the time strictly prohibited schools from providing players with money or benefits. The texts suggested that a former ole miss staff member may have helped Tunsil financially while he was a student-athlete. Tunsil attacked the situation by eventually suing those he believed were responsible. Later, a court found that tunsil defamed claims had merit, and said tunsil had a legal case worth pursuing.
Said tunsil in later interviews, he believed the hacking and the leaked messages were part of a coordinated attack to damage him financially. The timing right at the start of the draft was no accident.
Redemption: From Miami to the Houston Texans
Being selected by the Miami Dolphins was not the end of the story — it was actually the beginning of a remarkable comeback. Despite the scandal, Laremy Tunsil played extremely well for Miami. He became one of the best offensive linemen in the entire league within just a few seasons, earning recognition and eventually Pro Bowl selections that proved his talent was never in question.
Here is a quick look at his career milestones:
- Selected 13th overall in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft
- Established himself as Miami’s anchor on the offensive line
- Named to the Pro Bowl multiple times
- Tunsil was traded to the Houston Texans in a blockbuster deal in texans in 2019
The trade to the Houston Texans cost Miami a massive package of picks, including multiple first-round draft picks. It was one of the most expensive trades for an offensive tackle in league history at that point. The texans offensive line was immediately transformed.
Tackle Laremy Tunsil then signed a deal that made history. Tunsil signed a $66 million contract extension with the houston texans, making him the highest-paid offensive lineman in the NFL at the time. The million contract extension was a stunning reversal of fortune.
Think about that for a moment. The same player who lost an estimated $12 million on draft day because of a leaked video went on to sign a 66 million contract just a few years later. It is one of the most dramatic financial turnarounds in NFL history.
Laremy Tunsil Is Turning His Gas Mask Bong Video Into an NFT for a Brilliant Reason
Here is where the story takes its most creative turn. Laremy tunsil is turning that infamous bong video into nft form and using it to do genuine good in the world.
Tunsil announced plans to mint the gas mask video as a 1 of 1 NFT and auction it off. A video to be listed as a unique digital asset, the NFT captured the exact moment from draft night that changed his life forever. But instead of hiding from it, he owned it literally.
What is an NFT?
An NFT (Non-Fungible Token) is a unique digital item stored on a blockchain. When you buy an NFT, you own that specific digital file in this case, the video of him smoking through a gas mask that went viral during the 2016 draft.
Tunsil tweeted about the project and explained his thinking. This was not just about money. The video into nft move was paired with a powerful charitable mission.
A portion of the proceeds from the NFT sale would go to the Last Prisoner Project a nonprofit organization that advocates for people who are incarcerated for cannabis offenses. The prisoner project works to free people who are in prison for marijuana-related crimes that are no longer illegal in many US states.
This is the detail that makes the whole story extraordinary. Laremy tunsil’s worst professional moment laremy tunsil smoking on a video that leaked on the biggest night of his career became a tool to help people in prison for the very same thing that nearly destroyed his career.
The nft for charity initiative drew enormous praise from fans, athletes, and advocates. Here is why it mattered:
| NFT Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| NFT type | 1 of 1 (unique, one owner only) |
| Content | The infamous gas mask video from draft night |
| Charitable partner | The Last Prisoner Project |
| Beneficiaries | People incarcerated for cannabis offenses |
| Cultural significance | First major athlete to tokenize a career-defining scandal |
Laremy Tunsil Slides Into the History Books: Lessons From One of Sports’ Greatest Comebacks
Laremy tunsil slides from the conversation around “draft busts” and “scandal players” into the conversation around elite, well-paid, Pro Bowl-level stars. That shift did not happen by accident. It happened because of talent, resilience, and a refusal to let one draft moment define an entire career.
The 2022 NFL draft featured several players projected to slide due to off-field concerns a direct echo of what happened to Tunsil in the round of the 2016 NFL draft. His story is now used as a case study in sports management and agent circles about how off-field incidents can dramatically alter a player’s financial trajectory.
Key takeaways from the Tunsil story:
- Social media security matters Tunsil’s tunsil’s social media accounts were compromised at the worst possible moment. Teams now advise prospects to change passwords and lock accounts before draft night
- Talent always wins eventually despite the hack and the fall, Tunsil proved his ability on the field
- Narrative ownership is powerful converting the bong video into an nft gave Tunsil control over a story he never asked to be part of
- Resilience over reputation the offensive tackle laremy tunsil did not quit when things got hard; he outperformed every expectation
Conclusion:
The story of the laremy tunsil mask moment is about far more than a video that went viral. It is about how one of the most painful, public, and financially damaging scandals in draft history became the foundation for one of sports’ most inspiring comeback stories. Tunsil lost millions in one night. He won it back and then some. And when he had the chance to revisit that night, he chose not to run from it he chose to help others with it. That is the kind of story that transcends football entirely.
FAQs
What happened to Laremy Tunsil on draft day?
A hacked Twitter account posted a video of him smoking marijuana through a gas mask minutes before the 2016 NFL Draft began, causing him to slide from the #1 pick to #13.
Is Laremy Tunsil any good?
Yes he is considered one of the best offensive tackles in the NFL, earning multiple Pro Bowl selections and a record-breaking contract with the Houston Texans.
How much do NFL players get fined for a face mask?
NFL players are typically fined between $8,681 and $15,000 for a face mask penalty depending on whether it is accidental or flagrant.
What did Washington give up for Laremy Tunsil?
Washington traded multiple draft picks including first-round selections to acquire Laremy Tunsil from the Houston Texans in 2024.
