The Tennessee football team has done a great job of developing NFL talent during the Josh Heupel era. It feels like the Vols have a steady stream of draft picks every year, and Tennessee was well represented in the Pro Bowl this past season.
Jermod McCoy answers injury concerns in a big way at Tennessee Pro Day
The reality is, for a former Tennesse Vol quarterback, it hasn't been going as well as he'd hoped for in the pros, but he's got a new opportunity with a new franchise. It's being reported by ESPN's Jeremy Fowler that former Vols quarterback Hendon Hooker is being signed by the Tennessee Titans. Hopoker is coming back home for another shot in the NFL.
Free agent quarterback Hendon Hooker is signing with the Titans, per source.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) April 1, 2026
Former draft pick of the Detroit Lions was last with Carolina. pic.twitter.com/XzqHIyjKo1
Hendon Hooker gets one more shot in the NFL
There’s no doubt that QB1 in Nashville will be former No. 1 pick Cam Ward, but after that, things are wide open. Hendon Hooker will have to earn the backup role, competing against two former starters, as the Titans also have Mitch Trubisky and Will Levis under contract.
Given that many Vols fans are also Titans fans, he will have a lot of the fanbase in his corner, rooting him on this offseason. It wasn't that long ago when Hooker was the 2022 SEC Offensive Player of the Year, putting up an electric 3135 passing yards and 27, to just two interceptions. When you think of Tennessee Vols quarterbacks, Peyton Manning comes to mind, but right after him is likely Hooker. He was that special in college, and to see him get one more shot at home is great.
After being drafted No. 68 overall by the Detroit Lions, things haven't gone smoothly for Hooker. He missed his first NFL season with an ACL tear and then never really caught on in Detroit. After just two years in Detroit, he was cut, and then he had brief stints with the Carolina Panthers and the New York Jets.
It's becoming clear that Hooker may never be a star like many thought he could be, but hopefully, he can have a nice NFL career as a backup and potentially blossom into a starting role. Vols fans definitely will be cheering for Hooker as he gets one more chance in the NFL.