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Tennessee Vols AD Phillip Fulmer tests positive for COVID-19

By Caleb Calhoun

NASHVILLE, TN - NOVEMBER 24: Former head coach Phillip Fulmer of the Tennessee Volunteers walks the sideline prior to a 38-13 Vanderbilt victory over the University of Tennessee at Vanderbilt Stadium on November 24, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - NOVEMBER 24: Former head coach Phillip Fulmer of the Tennessee Volunteers walks the sideline prior to a 38-13 Vanderbilt victory over the University of Tennessee at Vanderbilt Stadium on November 24, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images) /
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The Tennessee Vols athletic director announced he has coronavirus.

One day before Tennessee football visits the Auburn Tigers and less than a week before Tennessee basketball and Lady Vols seasons start, Tennessee Vols athletic director Phillip Fulmer tested positive for COVID-19. Fulmer is the first major figure in the athletic program to publicize that he came down with the novel virus.

Last week, UT’s matchup with Texas A&M was postponed due to a viral outbreak. However, that was more about the Aggies than Rocky Top, as A&M’s game this week against the Ole Miss Rebels has been postponed as well.

Although no other major figures appeared to publicly get it, it affected many Tennessee Vols players dating back to the summer. Fulmer revealed that he had tested positive for the virus Friday morning on Twitter.

At age 70, Fulmer’s diagnosis definitely could have been concerning. As a result, it’s positive news that he said he wasn’t feeling any symptoms. He is less than a month away from his three-year anniversary as athletic director of the program.

This is the second time in a week Fulmer was in the news. On Wednesday, Blake Toppmeyer of the Knoxville News Sentinel revealed that he received a two-year contract extension to 2023 back in May. The story was kept under wraps at the time.

As a former offensive lineman for UT from 1969 to 1971, Fulmer captured an SEC title, a Sugar Bowl victory and was team captain. He was then an offensive line coach under Johnny Majors from 1980 to 1988 and an offensive coordinator from 1989 to 1992. As an assistant, he helped Tennessee football capture three SEC titles and two Sugar Bowl wins.

From 1992 to 2008, Fulmer served as head coach of the Tennessee Vols football program. He went 152-52 with five SEC Eastern Division championships, two SEC championships and a national championship. In 2017, he became athletic director in December and hired Jeremy Pruitt to replace Butch Jones.

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