What is the ‘Popeyes kid’ doing now? Dieunerst Collin nabs NIL deal with chicken chain

The Popeyes kid from the viral memes is now a college football player.

Thanks to concerted efforts on social media, the kid, whose name is Dieunerst Collin, now has a NIL deal with the popular chicken chain. The brand reached out to Collin on Tuesday, two days after the internet took notice that he was an offensive lineman for Lake Erie College and demanded that he get a NIL deal.

This comes nearly 10 years after the meme featuring him went viral on social media platforms.

Dieunerst at 9 (L) and now at 18 (R) (Image via Instagram/@dieunerst)

The Vine clip from almost a decade ago featured a young Collin in one of the franchises, minding his business and looking a little awkward and shy. He was approached by a stranger, who compared him to another viral sensation, Lil TeRio. Young Collin did not know who he was talking about, and his confused look has since become the source of many memes.

Despite the platform going under in 2016, the meme has transcended other social media sites.

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Popeyes snags a NIL deal for the face of a viral meme

Dieunerst Collin, 18, was the face of a viral meme that emerged nearly 10 years ago. He is currently 6ft 1in and weighs in at 330lbs, and a freshman offensive lineman at D-II Lake Erie College.

Over the past decade, he’s become an American football star, winning a state title in high school at East Orange Campus High School in New Jersey. He was also named a County and Division First Team All-Conference member and an All-State Second Teamer.

Self-professed college sports fanatic Jim Weber first noticed Collin as an NCAA athlete and notified Popeyes immediately via Twitter, strongly suggesting that they offer him a deal. In a tweet, he said:

"If this guy doesn't have an NIL deal by tomorrow, the Louisiana kitchen needs to clean house on upper management."

The tweet kicked off a movement that went viral, with netizens trying to get the brand to notice their now grown-up pseudo-mascot. Collin himself posted and tagged the brand on Instagram saying he "just wanted to talk." Popeyes replied in punny affirmation. They said:

"Let's get this bread(ing)✍️"

It is now possible for college-level athletes to cash in on their talents following the relaxation of some rules that were previously put in place to ensure that college football stays at an amateur level. Now, Collin has several people vouching for him. Many users of his almost 70k followers including his college, have contacted Popeyes regarding the deal.

In an interview with Complex magazine, Collin mentioned that he does not mind if Popeyes wants to "do it all again" and that he would love to play football professionally. He also mentioned that he aims to be a sports analyst in the future.