Lake Erie's Dieunerst Collin signs NIL deal with Popeyes after meme

Lake Erie College freshman offensive lineman Dieunerst Collin said he never thought he’d receive an offer for an NIL deal. However, Collin recently agreed to his second partnership, this one from the fast food chain Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen.

Roughly a decade ago, Collin was filmed while waiting in line to use a Popeyes soda machine in a video that went viral on the social media platform Vine. Another customer thought Collin was Lil TerRio, who was popular on Vine at the time for his dancing. Collin’s confused, side-eye look that was captured on camera turned into a popular meme.

Last Sunday, Collin tagged Popeyes on Instagram and Twitter, posting in all-caps on both platforms, “I JUST WANNA TALK.” Collin said Popeyes sent him a direct message and he said within roughly seven hours, a representative from the restaurant chain said the company wanted to sign him to an NIL deal.

Popeyes announced the partnership Thursday on Twitter.

Proud to welcome @CollinDieunerst to the fam. pic.twitter.com/nbc61QxIx9

— Popeyes (@Popeyes) January 12, 2023

“They’re just using my image and you know, I’m on everything,” Collin said in a phone interview.

What does Collin think of the NIL era, as a freshman at a Division II institution who now has a national brand deal all because of a viral, decade-old, six-second clip?

“It’s very, very, very, very weird,” Collin said, elongating the final syllable, “cause, um, I never thought I would actually get one. Because, you know, I see a lot of players getting it and everything, and I think it’s like, ‘Oh, wow! I pray one day I can get one,’ and then, ‘Poof,’ like magic, I automatically get one.”

Collin said he previously signed an NIL deal with a local brand called Lock1n in East Orange, New Jersey.

Dieunerst Collin reflects on viral Vine

When asked what he thinks in hindsight of his viral interaction at a Popeyes as a child, all Collin could say initially was “wow.”

“I never would’ve thought what happened that day would actually get as big as it is,” he said. “I just thought, ‘Oh, OK, I’m just going to go about my normal day and nothing will ever happen.'”

Collin said strangers asked him if he was the “Popeyes kid” or Lil TerRio.

“Now that I have this platform and this following, I get to be myself,” he said. “Cause you know, I’m a playful guy. I like to make jokes and I just like to be myself and I’m pretty sure everyone who follows me and hopefully whoever keeps following me will like whatever content I have.”

In a sponsored Instagram post in which he collaborated with Popeyes, Collin read a letter to his younger self.

“This is where our story started,” Collin said in the ad which featured B-roll of the viral video. “The moment that made us a meme. We didn’t ask for it. We didn’t understand it. But don’t worry little man, we didn’t let it stop us.

“Because the more we grew, the tougher we got. We learned to lean in. We turned the attention into motivation and the motivation into championships. This is where our story started and now it’s where a new one begins.”

The partnership has been branded with the tagline “From memes to dreams.”

Dieunerst Collin’s plans for his future

Collin has more than 72,000 followers on Instagram, where his bio lists The Collective Engine as his agency for NIL-related inquiries.

Collin said he’s majoring in communications. His Lake Erie College bio says he’s minoring in “comedian studies.” The 6-foot-1, 330-pound offensive lineman hopes to play professionally someday.

“That’s obviously a college player’s dream,” he said.

Outside of his on-field aspirations, he said he wants to work as a sports analyst after college. The attention he has received this week has likely given him a new perspective on the media industry.

“I’ve done a lot (of interviews), I can say,” he said, laughing.