Jeffrey Dean Morgan has played some pretty shady characters in his career, including The Boys’ “devil-on-Butcher’s-shoulder” Joe Kessler and The Walking Dead’s Negan, who’s only one of the most ruthless villains in TV history. In real life, though, he seems like the biggest sweetheart, as he just shared an amazing tribute to his wife Hilarie Burton — which included a shout-out to her fantastically punny tank top.
Hilarie Burton and Jeffrey Dean Morgan have been married since 2019, and the couple share two children. After what seems like a particularly hectic week for the One Tree Hill alum, Morgan posted a sweet message to Instagram to show his appreciation for all that she does:
OK, I am fully here for the “just because” tribute. It’s not Hilarie Burton’s birthday, and their sixth anniversary passed weeks ago. This is just a man paying attention to everything she’s doing as a mother, wife and activist and letting her know she’s seen. And come on, how is he NOT going to mention that shirt? Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s caption says:
Ladies and gentlemen, my wife. She drove about 2000 miles this week, she’s in the middle of renovating our home, fed kids at least 2.5 times a day, helped at two haunted houses, donated her time and voice to a great cause or three, rock climbing with daughter twice, carnival at new school, and kept her husband giggling and mostly centered from afar every single day. There is nobody like her, and I know how lucky I am. Hilarie Burton Morgan, I just fuckin love you… and your shirt. xxx
Ugh, I love this couple so much. In addition to keeping hher hubs giggling, she’s got me laughting, too, with the “Nailed by Negan” tank top. We’re definitely picking up the double entendre he’s putting down, and you guys, this is not a man who masturbates 20 times a week.
The shirt is an obvious reference to JDM’s character on The Walking Dead and Negan’s weapon of choice — a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire (which is close enough to nails for me). The bat was famously named Lucille after Negan’s wife, and when the AMC show delved into the big bad’s backstory in Season 10, it was none other than Hilarie Burton who was cast in the role of Lucille.
She even joined the cast of The Walking Dead: Dead City to reprise the character of Lucille Smith for an episode in Season 2, which aired earlier on the 2025 TV schedule.
As far as being “Nailed by Negan,” Hilarie Burton seems proud of both her tank top and her husband, as she commented:
The duality of your SUPER hot Reef Perfumes post sitting right next to this post-haunted-house gem is not lost on me Mr. Morgan. You’re a sexy dude! How’d you get locked down by such a goober?!?! Love you. And all the deeply inappropriate merch. #nailedbynegan 😘
I agree. I’m always here for deeply inappropriate merch, and I’m definitely here for this couple.
If all this talk of getting nailed has you wanting to relive this iconic TV character’s journey, you can stream The Walking Dead and Season 1 of The Walking Dead: Dead City with a Netflix subscription.