EXCLUSIVE

How's this for embarrassing -- 2 NFL players racked up a $10,000 bill at a Hollywood nightclub ... only to have their credit cards DECLINED, this according to a new lawsuit obtained by TMZ Sports.

Player #1 is Detroit Lions defensive tackle A'Shawn Robinson -- a 2nd round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft who signed a 4-year $5.2 million contract.

Player #2 is Tampa Bay Bucs lineman Caleb Benenoch -- a 5th round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft who signed a 4-year $2.59 million contract.

According to court docs filed in L.A., the guys invited Richard Harrington to Hyde nightclub on the Sunset Strip back in March and ran up a $9,332 bill.

But when it came time to pay, Harrington claims the players' credit cards were BOTH declined.

Instead, they asked Harrington to foot the bill -- which he did -- and they promised to pay him back. Harrington claims they each sent him $2,000 but that didn't cover everything.

He's still out $5,332 ... and is now suing them to get the money because he says they refuse to pay it back.