Ryan Reynolds Played An A+ Prank On His Wrexham Partner Rob Mac For His Birthday
If there’s one thing you can count on from Ryan Reynolds, it’s that he’s not going to let a birthday pass without doing something just a little unhinged, especially when the target is his longtime collaborator and Wrexham co-chairman, Rob McElhenney. This time around, Reynolds didn’t go for anything elaborate, but instead set up an A+ prank that calls back to where it all started, and it’s perfect.
Reynolds took some time away from his busy 2026 movie schedule to share the prank on Instagram, posting the photo below of an updated plaque mounted above a urinal dedicated entirely to “Rob Mac.” The caption, posted alongside the image, makes it clear this is a bit of a tradition at this point, as the Reynolds previously unveiled the urinal memorial in 2022.
If this looks familiar, it should. This is a callback to 2022, when The Deadpool star first unveiled the original urinal-plaque tribute dedicated to “Robert McElhenney,” mounted in the same spot. That reveal even came with a full mock ceremony, ribbon cutting and all. This time, the concept hasn’t changed, and neither has the location, still proudly above a urinal, but the name has. Now it reads: “This urinal is dedicated to Rob Mac on his birthday, April 14.”
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What’s especially funny about this one is how low-key it is compared to some of Reynolds’ past bits. This is the same guy who’s built an entire brand around elaborate, often overproduced pranks and marketing stunts, so dialing it back to something this simple feels perfect for a friend’s birthday.
The updated plaque is a direct nod to Rob McElhenney’s decision to simplify his name professionally. After years of people stumbling over the pronunciation, the creator of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia announced he’d be going by “Rob Mac” moving forward, and he made it official last year. And while he’s joked that name changes can come off a little self-important or “douchey,” it’s clear the people in his orbit(the Free Guy actor included) are committed enough to the bit to update a very specific, very permanent bathroom plaque.
It’s an appropriate birthday gift given the very specific kind of humor Reynolds and McElhenney have been refining ever since they took over Wrexham AFC in 2021. Since then, they’ve turned the club into one of the most talked-about stories in sports, thanks in part to the FX series Welcome to Wrexham (streaming with a Hulu subscription) and a string of on-field successes that have seen the team rise through the ranks.
The two have turned Wrexham AFC into something legitimately impressive. The club is more valuable, more visible, and far more competitive than it was just a few years ago, making the two of them major names in the football space. At the same time, though, their partnership still runs on that same slightly ridiculous, prank-heavy energy. If this updated plaque is any indication, that part of their dynamic isn’t going anywhere. If anything, swapping in “Rob Mac” just reinforces that their mix of friendship and football ownership is still very much intact.
