On a night that should have been a triumphant beginning, Laremy Tunsil found himself living a nightmare. The star Ole Miss left tackle, projected as a surefire top-5 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, watched helplessly as a leaked video sent his stock plummeting. But in the eight years since that infamous gas mask incident, Tunsil has authored one of the greatest redemption arcs in recent sports memory—rising from a punchline to the highest-paid player at his position. This is the story of how Laremy Tunsil turned humiliation into motivation, and forged his pain into gridiron greatness.
The Fateful Fall
April 28, 2016. Mere minutes before the draft began, a compromising video surfaced on Tunsil’s Twitter account, showing the young lineman smoking from a bong equipped with a gas mask. As the bizarre footage spread like wildfire across social media, stunned analysts and fans wondered if the presumed top pick’s career was over before it started.
I was panicking a little bit, and I’m just like ‘Don’t let my mom and my auntie see this,’
– Laremy Tunsil, recalling his draft night horror
One by one, teams on the clock passed on the humiliated Tunsil. But when the Miami Dolphins selected him 13th overall, the slide mercifully ended. Though relieved, Tunsil couldn’t shake the sting of embarrassment, spending a somber draft night in his hotel room rather than celebrating. The road to redemption would be long.
Proving His Worth
Tunsil made an immediate impact as a rookie, paving lanes for running back Jay Ajayi’s breakout 1,272-yard campaign. Transitioning to his natural left tackle spot in year two, he quickly established himself as an elite blindside protector. From 2017-18, Tunsil ranked in the top 10 in pass block win rate among left tackles.
But despite his stellar play, Tunsil couldn’t escape the specter of the draft night debacle. Opposing fans taunted him with gas mask taunts, and even teammates couldn’t resist poking fun at his lowest moment.
My first three years, it was heavy on my heart. Like, damn, I can’t believe I went through that,
– Tunsil on being haunted by the incident
Becoming a Texan
Everything changed when the Houston Texans traded for Tunsil in 2019, making him the centerpiece of their rebuilding effort. Finally out from under the cloud of the gas mask video, Tunsil flourished in Houston, earning Pro Bowl nods in each of his first four seasons as a Texan. His dominant play caught the eye of the analytics crowd, as he consistently ranked near the top in both pass block win rate and pressures allowed.
- 5th-best pass block win rate among left tackles since 2019 (91%)
- Allowed only two sacks in 2024 while protecting rookie C.J. Stroud’s blind side
Reaping the Rewards
The Texans recognized Tunsil’s vital role in nurturing their young offensive core, inking the standout tackle to a market-resetting $75 million extension in 2023. No longer defined by his worst moment, Tunsil’s meteoric rise from draft day cautionary tale to the sport’s richest offensive lineman was complete.
It just showed everyone I do make mistakes, but that’s not who I am. So that was just one part of the journey. I don’t really just look at it crazy. It’s always going to be attached to me. When my son gets a little older, I got to tell him what happened. But it didn’t slow me down.
– Tunsil on moving past his draft night
Leaving a Legacy
With personal redemption firmly in hand, Tunsil has his sights set on football immortality. He dreams of one day entering the hallowed halls of Canton, enshrined among the greatest to ever play the game. To punch his ticket to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Tunsil knows he needs to check one final box: earning the elusive All-Pro honor.
I’m one of the best tackles in the game. And every time I get done playing an opponent, they tell me that. It’s time for people to notice that; it’s time for me to get my kudos. … I’m getting it from peers, but I need to get it from [All-Pro voters]. I need my flowers and my respect.
– Tunsil on his Hall of Fame aspirations
As he continues to stonewall the league’s most fearsome pass rushers and pave the way for the Texans’ high-octane offense, Laremy Tunsil serves as a shining testament to the power of perseverance. From a humiliating low to the pinnacle of his profession, Tunsil’s incredible journey is proof that our worst moments don’t define us—it’s how we respond to them that reveals our true character.
