NFL Draft: Why Pizza Hut is giving one rookie a year of free pizza

As if being selected in the NFL Draft weren’t enough of a dream come true for a young football star, Pizza Hut is set to reward a third-round selection in this year’s event with a year of free pizza.

Pizza Hut, which became the NFL’s official pizza sponsor in February, is awarding the 14th player selected in the third round with a year of free pies and a pizza party in the home city of the team that drafts him, the company announced in the press release. The chain is referring to that player as the 2018 draft’s “Pi Pick” (3.14).

The lucky rookie will get one free pizza a week for 52 weeks, at an estimated retail value of roughly $600, a Pizza Hut representative told FOX Business. The player will also receive “retro brand swag, gift cards for teammates and more,” the company said.

"The NFL Draft is a moment of hope and anticipation for players and fans alike, and our mission at Pizza Hut during the Draft is to help fans celebrate the start," said Zipporah Allen, U.S. chief marketing officer of Pizza Hut. "From inviting fans to show off their best doorbell dance for a chance to win some great prizes to recognizing the Pi Pick draftee, we want Pizza Hut to help feed the passion and excitement fans have for their teams."

Aside from the “Pi Pick” promotion, Pizza Hut is rolling out a new advertising campaign starring Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, as well as a “NFL Draft Box” $19.99 meal promotion.

Pizza Hut replaced Papa John’s, the NFL’s longtime pizza sponsor, after the two sides mutually agreed to end their partnership. The decision came months after Papa John’s executives were publicly critical of the NFL’s handling of national anthem protests, with some officials arguing that the controversy had demonstrably impacted the chain’s sales. Papa John’s still sponsors 22 NFL teams and several star players.

The first round of the NFL Draft will air live on Thursday night starting at 8 p.m. ET. Rounds two and three air Friday starting at 7 p.m. ET, and the draft concludes with rounds four through seven on Saturday starting at 12 p.m. ET.