Rookies get hazed in the NFL quite a bit. Not normally anything that isn't somewhat light-hearted. Fellow players cannot go overboard, after all. In the case of Seattle Seahawks first-round pick Byron Murphy II, though, what he had to go through was good-natured fun, but still have to give him some stress.
In a recently released video on social media, Murphy is seen alongside Leonard Williams and others as he receives a dinner bill for $155,000. Only, the check was not truly that much. It was a joke played on Murphy by the players and the restaurant. Murphy's reaction was still one of extreme shock. This is especially true as his rookie salary pays him $795,000, though he also received a signing bonus of more than $8 million.
In other words, Murphy can afford to pay a $155,000 bill, but who really wants to do that? The actual tab was $38,000, which is still a lot for almost everyone else in the world. That much could pay for a new car, or maybe a large part of one's college tuition. Still, while professional athletes do play a game for a living, they also do so at a high enough level that a small percentage of the population could do the same.
Seattle Seahawks rookie Byron Murphy II given a shocking large dinner bill
Murphy clearly did not want to pay as much as the prank said he should.
How’s this for a welcome to the NFL moment!#Seahawks star rookie DT Byron Murphy II was hit with a $38,000 dinner tab, but both the restaurant and his teammates tricked him into thinking it was 155k! Check out his initial reaction to seeing the bill. 😂😳
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) January 3, 2025
(via b2tymes/IG) pic.twitter.com/pR7MV7G9RX
Part of the ridiculous part, though, is the prices from Ascend Steak and Sushi on the real receipt. The drinks are extremely expensive, some more than $1,000 each, it appears. The food is about as much as one would expect from a good restaurant. Also, Bellevue, Washington is not exactly known for its frugal eateries.
The idea of having a rookie pay for a meal is a long tradition in many team sports. Some other players have faced worse situations. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana used to throw his teammates' bikes into trees, meaning many players would have to walk back to the training camp dorms in 100-degree heat.
Former Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll once was in on a prank where one of his players was "arrested" during a team meeting. Carroll's acting was pretty good, though he didn't have to stay in character long.
As far as Murphy, he had a decent rookie year, but not exactly great. He ranked 60th among interior defenders, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). The rookie had 21 total quarterback pressures, including one sack. He had 17 run stuffs.