Former Waffle House CEO Walt Ehmer died on Sept. 6 at the age of just 58. The death hit hard with five-star high school offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell, who decided to honor Ehmer as he took the field before a game.
While leading his team onto the field, Cantwell can be seen running and holding a Waffle House flag.
Of course, many people were left slightly confused about the connection between Cantwell and Waffle House, and some thought Waffle House should now reach out to the young man.
“Why? Is it some kind of sponsorship or something?” said one comment.“No idea why, but I’m here for it!” said another.
“Get this kid a Waffle House NIL deal immediately,” a third continued about Cantwell.
“@WaffleHouse better collab with this guy soon,” added a fourth.
Considering the news about the CEO, the most likely reason he had that flag is that Jackson was truly a big fan of the restaurant and wanted to honor Ehmer the best way he could.
Jackson Cantwell Has Made No Commitment Yet
According to 24/7 Sports, Cantwell is the No. 1 offensive tackle in the nation and the No. 2 outright player.
He already has offers from major programs, such as Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, and LSU.
He’s currently listed as 6’7.5″ and 300 pounds, which sounds crazy but is elevated because he still has another year left in high school.
Football also isn’t the only sport he accells at. Cantwell is a two-time state champion in the shot put and was the 2023-2024 Gatorade Missouri Boys Track & Field Player of the Year.
Both his father and mother were also in the Olympics as throwers. His father, Christian Cantwell, won a silver medal in the shot put at the 2008 Beijing Games.