Giants Defensive End Olivier Vernon Gave Teammates $300,000 in Cognac for Christmas

Giants defensive end Olivier Vernon gave out $300,000 in cognac to his teammates and coaches for Christmas.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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There’s something about Giants defensive ends and giving out liquor to the organization. On the day he retired in May, Justin Tuck gifted scotch to 70 Giants coaches, executives, and media members. New York defensive end Olivier Vernon must have been taking notes.

Playing Santa, Vernon gifted every one of his teammates and coaches with a personalized bottle of Louis XIII cognac. Vernon spent nearly $300,000 on the gifts, according to Dan Duggan of NJ.com.

In case you’re wondering, he’s not exactly hurting for money. Vernon, who started his career with the Dolphins, is in the first year of a five-year, $85 million contract he signed with the Giants over the offseason. 

The bottles were each engraved with the recipient’s name. Vernon also gave out matching champagne glasses.

ESPN’s Darren Rovell tweeted a couple images of the bottles, and claimed Vernon’s purchase was one of the biggest purchases in Louis XIII’s company history.

Custom engraved bottles of Louis XIII cognac (Retail: $3,000 each) have been given to every member of the Giants by @oliviervernon54 pic.twitter.com/PDiExsTzdQ
Olivier Vernon's gifting of Louis XIII bottles for every member of the Giants was one of the largest purchases in the brand's history pic.twitter.com/ctxpeaF9NY

Rovell and Duggan both state the bottles cost around $3,000. Coupled with his beast-mode season on the field (he has 8.5 sacks), I gather this is a pretty good way to endear yourself to your new teammates.

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