Jon Heder Brings Napoleon Dynamite Energy To March Madness Sweet Sixteen

Jon Heder, best known for playing the tater tot-loving underdog Napoleon Dynamite, returned to his roots Thursday night, sitting courtside at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, for BYU’s Sweet Sixteen matchup against Alabama in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

A proud BYU alum, Jon Heder was there to support the Cougars and rally behind BYU standout Richie Saunders, who recently earned the fitting nickname “Tot King” after signing a buzzy NIL deal with none other than Ore-Ida.

In the cult classic, "Neopolian Dynamtie," Jon Heder’s frizzy-haired, awkward teen wins over audiences not by conforming, but by fully leaning into his quirks. The film gave us the iconic “Vote for Pedro” tee and turned Napoleon’s deadpan “Gosh!” into a pop culture staple.

It also gave tater tots their moment in the sun, thanks to Napoleon’s unapologetic obsession, famously stashing them in his cargo pockets for a mid-class snack. “Napoleon, give me some of your tots,” one of his classmates said.

In a full-circle moment that mashed up March Madness with nostalgic movie magic, Heder cheered on Saunders, who’s been leading BYU’s charge through the tournament.

The moment capped off a playful and unexpected marketing campaign by Ore-Ida that has fully embraced the madness of March.

“I have a connection to tots that harkens back to 20 years ago,” the actor said, per AP. “Before that time, I also went to BYU. We’re at a crossroads right now where my childhood meets my education meets my professional life. It kind of makes sense for me to return to the middle of the crossroads, to meet the devil again and make some new deals.”

As BYU made its deepest NCAA tournament run in nearly 15 years, Ore-Ida rolled out a full-court press of its own, and it was all in honor of Cougar standout Richie Saunders.

Saunders and his tater-filled family legacy, his great-grandfather, F. “Nephi” Griggs, founded Ore-Ida, have become an unexpected highlight of a tournament mostly lacking in shocking upsets. Capitalizing on the moment, Saunders landed an endorsement deal that put him front and center in advertisements, while Ore-Ida celebrates BYU’s March Madness victories by serving up free crispy sides.

"We're teaming up with basketball hotshot Richie Saunders, the great-grandson of Ore-Ida founder and inventor of Tater Tots, to give away free tots if Richie's team wins today," the company wrote in a press release sent to The Blast. "If they win, the countdown for our 30-minute ‘Tot Clock’ will begin at the link in our IG bio post-game."

Unfortunately, BYU was knocked out of the tournament.

Before the devastating loss, the tots brand launched a playful and potato-packed campaign centered around the rising star, blending hoops hype with crispy goodness.

Had BYU won the entire tournament, Ore-Ida planned to release a special run of “Richie’s Tater Shots,” a clever tribute to Saunders’ signature jump shot. In a bold and unexpected move, the brand even temporarily changed its name to Ore-Richie in his honor, pledging to keep the new branding for as long as BYU stayed alive in March Madness.

To mark the Cougars’ impressive run, Ore-Ida also extended its beloved Tot Clock, offering free tater tots nationwide during the entire Sweet Sixteen matchup, from tip-off to the final buzzer, regardless of the game’s outcome.

It was a campaign designed to celebrate a standout season, fuel fans across the country, and prove that when it comes to March Madness, there's always room for more flavor and fun.

As for Saunders, he’s been proving why he’s earned his crispy crown.

The junior guard led BYU in scoring during the Big 12 Tournament semifinals, helping the Cougars set a new tournament record and reach the semifinals for the first time in program history. From draining threes to repping a family invention that revolutionized freezer aisles, the BYU guard is showing that greatness isn’t just in his game, it’s in his genes and his March Madness run.

Their Sweet Sixteen appearance also followed a major milestone, BYU’s fourth straight win over a Top 25 opponent, a streak the school hadn’t achieved since 1951.