Maryland Players Get Free Underwear, Smile While Teens Get $10K for Running Man Challenge

The two kids who invented the Running Man Challenge appeared on Ellen on Tuesday. They were joined by the guys who brought the dance to the mainstream – Maryland’s Jared Nickens and Jaylen Brantley.

Ellen had gifts for all four young men for bringing so much joy and meme into our lives. Well, technically the personalized underpants she gave to Nickens and Brantley aren’t considered gifts, I guess. Because, as Ellen points out, the NCAA does not permit athletes to accept gifts. So they had to sit there and put on big smiles while the two teenagers received a giant check for $10,000.

I wonder if the Maryland players had to pay for their own flights. Meanwhile, the school got a nice little national ad and plug for their Sweet 16 run.