"That part really bothers me" - Laremy Tunsil speaks out on his infamous draft day gas mask video
Laremy Tunsil was one of the top tackles coming out of college in 2016. Tunsil was expected to be a top-five pick on the night of the 2016 NFL Draft. His agent whispered to him while waiting for his name to be called to check his social media.
In 2019, the Dolphins and Texans made the blockbuster Laremy Tunsil trade as franchises going in different directions. At the start of the ’21 season, they had seemingly reversed roles. On Sun, they meet with 1-7 records and no clear winner in the deal. miamiherald.com/sports/nfl/mia…
Laremy Tunsil is comfortable discussing the occurrence that led to his draconian fall in the draft. He went from being a top-five lock to the Miami Dolphins at number 13 overall. The occurrence led to people labeling his name as the man with the gas mask. Six years in the league and the moniker seems to have faded, but that does not change what transpired at Ole Miss.
"Probably one of the worst feelings I ever experienced in my life."
Six years later, Pro Bowler Laremy Tunsil is ready to speak. He took us through the draft night when a leaked video of him smoking in college robbed him of millions.
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What occurred was pictures and video of him inhaling marijuana out of a gas mask bong leaked online. It damaged Laremy Tunsil and his character, costing him millions of dollars. Tunsil is a naturally gifted talent. He is a player whose preference is to keep to himself and focus on the game. The incident in question made him do what he has done in the entirety of his career: protect.
Laremy Tunsil: "That part really bothers me"
Tunsil now had to protect himself from the video and pictures. Opposing fans would mercilessly mock him as a member of the Dolphins. He recalls standing in the tunnel at Seattle's Lumen Field when he observed a fan in the stands wearing donning a gas mask. It was jarring. He hears taunts such as, "Hey, Tunsil, lay off the weeeedddd." He grimaced at situations like that in the past but now, he laughs:
"When they see a picture of me, they think 'gas mask,' and that's the part that really bothers me, because I'm more than that."
The lesson here is not to let one moment in your life define you as a person. Laremy Tunsil could easily have let the gas mask end his career before it started. Tunsil played through it, once and off the field. The situation is in the past, and people should let it stay there.