Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
First-round NFL Draft selection Ha Ha Clinton-Dix uploaded a photo to his Twitter account that appeared to display a joint, but explained on Thursday night that it was actually a "piece of tissue." Reuters

Newly drafted Green Bay Packers safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix denied rumors that he was photographed with a joint just hours before he was selected in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft.

On Thursday afternoon, Clinton-Dix, 21, posted a promotional tweet for a phone-charging device. In the picture, the NFL prospect sat next to an object that closely resembled a joint, prompting social media users to speculate that he was photographed with marijuana just hours before the draft.

Clinton-Dix gave an explanation for the photo on Thursday night. “Lol you guys crazy…that’s a piece of tissue. I was in the lobby restaurant at the hotel having lunch,” he said.

Later, Clinton-Dix provided an additional photo of himself at the restaurant. “For those who got jokes….I was in a crowded restaurant…relax people," he tweeted.

The alleged joint photo didn’t appear to affect Clinton-Dix’s draft stock. Most experts believed that he would be selected in the first round, and the Packers used the 21st overall pick to draft the talented safety.

Clinton-Dix wasn’t the only athlete to deal with a photo controversy related to the 2014 NFL Draft. As the selection process got underway, a doctored photo that depicted top quarterback prospect Johnny Manziel drinking a beer while he waited to be drafted went viral, despite the fact that it was completely fake. Deadspin quickly debunked the validity of the beer photo, and the Cleveland Browns selected Manziel with the 22nd pick in the first round.

[h/t Deadspin]

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