Getting drafted to the NFL is a dream for almost all football players, but being a rookie isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. They have to work extremely hard to keep their spots, with job security not certain. Some rookies are even hazed by veterans. While that’s less common now, many rookies still have responsibilities placed on them by their teammates. Miles Killebrew recently shared a funny story about one of the tasks given to rookies on the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“Before every game, on Saturday, we make the rookies go buy us Popeyes,” Killebrew said Friday on Mad Dog Sports Radio. “They get a huge order of Popeyes, the chicken and the biscuits and all of this.
“And it has to be in the locker room before we go up to our meetings. Otherwise, I don’t wanna be on the receiving end of an angry Cam Hayward. The Popeyes and the biscuits, everybody has it. If it’s not there, it’s bad.”
It would be hilarious to see the amount of Popeyes that rookies have to buy to feed the team. Some NFL players are absolutely massive, so the bill probably isn’t cheap. For players on rookie contracts, that probably isn’t something they look forward to every week.
However, it sounds like it’s a nice way for the team to bond. There have certainly been worse stories of how teams treat rookies. Eating Popeyes together sounds like a fun tradition throughout the season. It might not be the healthiest meal, but it is delicious. The NFL season is long and consists of multiple highs and lows. Having that treat to look forward to was probably nice.
It sounds like some players took getting their Popeyes very seriously, though, as Killebrew explains.
“This is what’s crazy is guys look forward to it. You had guys like [Damontae] Kazee who, if we didn’t have it, we’re not even focused in this meeting. ‘Yeah, we’re supposed to be talking about the opponent, but where’s my Popeyes? I’m starving. I was waiting all morning for this and it’s not here.'”
It’s clear Killebrew is joking, and that no one was ignoring the meeting in favor of fast food. However, players like Kazee might have been a little crankier if they didn’t get their meal. That makes it seem like the rookies missed a Popeyes trip. With how busy life in the NFL can be, there were probably just some days where they didn’t have time to stop. Kazee might not have liked that, though.
The Steelers have made it clear that they don’t haze rookies. They actually seem to do a good job mentoring younger players. That doesn’t save rookies from being ribbed. The end of the 2024 season saw the Steelers crash and burn, but light-hearted activities like this shouldn’t receive any of the blame for that. It’s nice to hear that players could bond over something, even if it was at the expense of a rookie’s wallet.
