49ers star Arik Armstead pours cold water on viral video of PRANK $322,000 'rookie dinner'

San Francisco are a united force as the NFL nears the postseason and its bonding seems to flow off the field as well. 

Pranks and jest among a team are always signs of a thriving franchise and the Niners are nailing that too.

Images emerged of a $322,391.05 bill racked up by members of the team, with many outlets reporting it as fact. Instead, the crew racked up a more reasonable $7500 tab.

However, pass rusher Arik Armstead dismissed the rhetoric, revealing it was a prank on rookie teammates. 

San Francisco 49ers rookies did not have to pay for a $332k dinner, instead splitting $4500

'Y'all silly if you thought a dinner can cost 300k,' he said. 'It was a prank. The waitress went overboard. 

'The dinner was 7500 me and 2 other vets gave 1k towards it. The rooks split 4500.

'We had a great time too,' Armstead added. 'I had good vets as a young player I would never do a rookie like that.'

Stud pass rusher Arik Armstead clarified that the initial bill was merely a prank on the rookies

Rookie dinners - where players in their first year can fork out thousands of dollars during meals with elder teammates - are something of a rite of passage in the NFL.

It is a tradition which has carried on for decades. There are other examples of hazing which occur in sports such as being forced to carry a veteran's bags, adopting crude haircuts, and as seen in baseball; dressing up as women.

Despite a lighter wallet, things seem rather rosy for San Francisco who have a 10-4 record and currently occupy the NFC's No. 3 seed.

Arik Armstead (R) and Nick Bosa (L) have been critical to a fearsome 49ers front this season