Big Macs and bad picks: Fantasy football GM’s 24-hour McDonald’s sentence

Anthony Gharib, ESPNJun 17, 2024, 08:00 PM ET

Fantasy football can offer positive experiences for those that participate. That is, unless you finish last in a league, where your punishment might be sitting in a McDonald’s for 24 hours unless you eat your way out of it.

That’s what Joe DeLeone had to go through Friday.

DeLeone had simple rules to follow: spend 24 hours in a McDonald’s with specific food items limiting the time he would have to spend in the fast food joint.

I finished in last place in fantasy football, and tomorrow I have to do my punishment.
I have to sit on a McDonalds for 24 hours unless I can eat my way out of it. Here’s the key I was given by a league mate for what I can eat to shorten my time ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/uhgidj67yb

— Joe DeLeone (@joedeleone) June 14, 2024

One of DeLeone’s friends put together the spreadsheet that assigned times to each item. A Big Mac would deduct 45 minutes, while a Big Breakfast with hotcakes would be worth two hours. Conversely, spending time in the ball pit at the PlayPlace would deduct five minutes.

DeLeone opted for a specific strategy, limiting himself to around 6,000 calories with an hour left at McDonald’s. Here are some highlights of his journey, which he documented on X (times in PST):

10:41 a.m. DeLeone made it clear in his first video. He wasn’t here to mess around.

“I’m going to get out of here as quickly as I can,” he said. “I’m not sitting here hanging out.”

That process began with two Big Breakfasts, which includes a biscuit, scrambled eggs, hashbrowns and sausage for 760 calories per serving. DeLeone also added 17 hashbrowns, which if finished would deduct seven hours.

Update one, meal one is 2 big breakfasts and 17 hash browns https://t.co/UMCDlwSNYn pic.twitter.com/7YdmD0KxjK

— Joe DeLeone (@joedeleone) June 15, 2024

11:00 a.m. Confidence was high after finishing the second Big Breakfast — though the hashbrowns were still untouched.

Just finished the second big breakfast and I’ve been here for an hour. THIS IS LIGHT WORK pic.twitter.com/wP8R50qOXj

— Joe DeLeone (@joedeleone) June 15, 2024

12:11 p.m. Speaking of those hashbrowns, DeLeone acknowledged that they were “a trap.” He also elaborated that ordering all of them at once was a mistake.

The hash browns were a trap

— Joe DeLeone (@joedeleone) June 15, 2024

2:01 p.m. After originally ordering 10 apples, DeLeone went back for 10 more. Each apple slice deducted five minutes, but, most importantly, they were “lightweight,” offering a balance to the other items he ate. They also became an effective strategy of shortening the time.

At this point, DeLeone said his goal was to leave by 5:30 p.m. and mapped out his next meals.

Ordered more apples. We’ve got 7 hours to go. Gearing up for making another big dent pic.twitter.com/vl5b3s9SYT

— Joe DeLeone (@joedeleone) June 15, 2024

I think they think I’m some moron who’s obsessed with Apples https://t.co/jgf8dXGih8

— Joe DeLeone (@joedeleone) June 15, 2024

3:58 p.m. Three orders of McChickens led to just three hours remaining for his punishment. DeLeone expressed confidence he’d be free soon, calling the challenge “light work.”

“We’re about to be in and out of here,” he said.

3 McChickens and 3 hours left pic.twitter.com/Og6RG21II4

— Joe DeLeone (@joedeleone) June 15, 2024

4:12 p.m. There’s nothing like cashing in the points gained on a food app. DeLeone reached nearly 10,000 points on the McDonald’s app — almost enough to get a free Big Mac or Quarter Pounder with cheese.

I have enough points to feed a family pic.twitter.com/mVXMeypZxo

— Joe DeLeone (@joedeleone) June 15, 2024

5:57 p.m. A final McChicken and three apple slices finally put the challenge to rest. Eight hours later, DeLeone came out victorious, knocking off 16 hours. His final tally of meals came out to two Big Breakfasts, 17 hashbrowns, four McChickens and 23 apple slices.

He said his brain was fried and he felt awful, but acknowledged the challenge was still “really fun.”

“It was just cool to see how everyone was supporting this because it’s just a fun stupid thing to do in the offseason,” DeLeone said.