By Lauren Hyland
Fantasy football is a virtual game where participants create and manage teams made up of real-life NFL players, earning points based on those players’ weekly performances in actual games. Participants draft players, trade and adjust lineups throughout the season to compete against other teams in their league. In many leagues, a fun twist is added by incorporating punishments for the player who finishes last at the end of the season. These punishments can range from silly tasks to unbearable penalizing, some of which follow. But which of these retributions runs the worst?
10. Take the SAT
This one ranks at the bottom in terms of actual punishment. The loser has to sign up and take the SAT. While it’s not physically painful or overly humiliating, it’s an inconvenient and lengthy ordeal that nobody wants to do. However, compared to the physical or emotional pain of other punishments, it’s more annoying than anything.
9. TikTok embarrassment
The loser is forced to make and post an embarrassing TikTok dance or challenge video. While it can be cringe-worthy and lead to some good-natured ridicule from friends and followers, it’s pretty mild in terms of overall suffering compared to other punishments. Plus, it only lasts as long as the video does on social media.
8. Public embarrassment stunt
This punishment is a bit of a wildcard, depending on how creative the league wants to get. Common ideas include making the loser dress up in a humiliating costume and walk around a busy area, holding a sign explaining their failure. While this one is embarrassing at the moment, it’s relatively short-lived and often provides entertainment for both the league and bystanders.
7. Stand-up comedy
Performing stand-up comedy at an open mic night can be nerve-wracking, especially for someone who isn’t a natural performer. The loser has to write and deliver jokes in front of a live audience, which could go horribly wrong if they bomb on stage. The humiliation from awkward silences or even outright heckling makes this punishment tough, but some may find it fun or even walk away with a newfound skill.
6. Bodybuilding competition
In this punishment, the loser has to train and compete in a local bodybuilding competition. Not only does it take months of hard work to get into shape, but the loser also has to perform in front of an audience wearing little more than a tiny speedo or bikini. The public embarrassment is considerable, especially if the loser isn’t in ideal shape, but at least this punishment can lead to improved health and fitness.
5. Waffle House
The Waffle House challenge is mentally and physically draining, rather than painful or embarrassing. The loser must stay inside a Waffle House for 24 hours, with one hour deducted from their sentence for each waffle they eat. This turns into an endurance test of gluttony and willpower. While it’s not as degrading as the top punishments, the sheer boredom and stomach ache from consuming waffles make this one a tough pill to swallow.
4. Piercing
Similar to the tattoo but slightly less permanent, getting a body piercing. To heighten the loser’s experience it’s often given in a visible or unusual location adding a level of humiliation and discomfort. The loser usually has to wear the piercing for a set amount of time before they can remove it, making this a short-term reminder of their last-place finish. Though not as extreme as a tattoo, it still carries significant embarrassment.
3. Tattoo
Getting permanently inked for a last-place finish might sound extreme, but it’s a growing trend in fantasy football leagues. The league decides the design, often something embarrassing and football-related, and the loser has to live with the reminder forever. While the pain of the tattoo fades, the long-term embarrassment doesn’t, especially when the artwork is something ridiculous like a cartoonish version of the league’s champion. This punishment is brutal due to its lifelong impact.
2. The cage
Trailing behind the absolute worst punishment stands the cage. This penalty includes the loser entering and being enclosed in a dog cage. While in the cage for a set amount of time, the loser can have absolutely anything thrown at them by non-losers. These items often range from eggs and flour to spoiled milk.
1. Milk mile
The worst punishment of them all — the milk mile. The milk mile consists of the loser preparing to run a mile around a track with a 12-ounce glass of milk. After each lap, the competitor must drink another 12-ounce glass until they finish the mile. Before finishing, competitors often throw up or can’t run because of a writhing stomach ache.
