When the spring ball drama happened last year, nobody thought Josh Heupel could run it around, but he did. Although last year's weight gains felt like a disappointment, they discovered a lifelong Vol in Joey Aguilar, who came in at the last minute and showed he was able to handle the situation and then some.
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Aguilar led the conference in passing yards during a remarkable season and was snubbed to an All-SEC team. He was able to keep the ship afloat when things were at their lowest in Knoxville. While Tennessee wasn't as good as they could have been last year, they still had a really strong team. They were a missed kick away from beating the SEC champions, Georgia, and without Aguilar, that wouldn't have happened.
In light of Aguiar being such a fan favorite, he got Tennessee tattooed on his leg for life. It takes a special kind of love to get Knoxville tattooed on you permanently, and Aguiar has done that with his latest ink, which will forever be a part of him just like being a Vol.
How much does Joey Aguilar love Tennessee?
— Sam Rothman (@samrothman_) July 11, 2026
The former #Vols QB got Neyland Stadium tattooed on his leg. It shows his journey from JUCO, to App State and then to Rocky Top. pic.twitter.com/GXxcYn04sN
If you don't like Aguilar enough, it gets even better. He hosted a football camp for kids and had a very humble response to all the campers shouting and chanting his name.
"To me, I'm just a regular guy. But to these kids I'm a big-time celebrity. So, this gives me the opportunity to connect with the kids and give them an experience they can hold on to forever."
Joey Aguilar walked out to hundreds of kids cheering "J-O-E-Y, J-O-E-Y" for his youth football camp.
— Sam Rothman (@samrothman_) July 11, 2026
"To me, I'm just a regular guy. But to these kids I'm a big-time celebrity. So, this gives me the opportunity to connect with the kids and give them an experience they can hold… pic.twitter.com/xuADQGDRT3
Joey Aguilar is a VFL
It's amazing to see how much one year in Knoxville can resonate with someone like Aguilar. It's too bad he wasn't able to get another year in an era of college football where anything goes. Aguilar seemed to get the short end of the stick.
With Aguiar now in the NFL with Jacksonville, he will need to have a strong preseason to make the roster. He has reportedly started off slow, which is expected for an undrafted quarterback. However, with Aguiar's perseverance and tenacity, anything is possible. It would be a surprise to most fans to see him end up on the 53-man roster come September.
Right now, he needs to outperform Nick Mullens and Carter Bradley, both of whom don’t have a great track record in the NFL. If Aguilar can demonstrate consistency and make the right decisions, he is likely to secure a spot on the roster.
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