10 Celebrities that Root for Tennessee Volunteers

Published: January 6, 2023

Which of the 10 Celebrities & Actors Actually Root for Tennessee Volunteers? Which Celebrities Watch Tennessee Football Every Fall?

Hello Everyone! Welcome to Sports Teller! Today, we will be going over the 10 Celebrities that Root for Tennessee Volunteers! In fact, we will be showcasing each famous person’s connection with the school itself. Without further adieu, let’s begin!

10 Celebrities that Root for Tennessee Volunteers

Why do Celebrities Support the Tennessee Football Team?

The University of Tennessee Volunteers are one of the most popular college teams in America. During the 2022 season, the men in orange and white reached the Top-10 football rankings for the first time since 2001. Despite their most recent success, the Volunteers have not played in the SEC Championship Game since 2007. The Vols squad has won six national championships, including their last such title in 1998.

Another thing to point out is that Tennessee has yet to claim a Heisman Trophy winner in its program history. Now, many people are wondering: Which celebrities and famous persons are a part of the Vols Football Nation? For the List of Celebrities that Root for Tennessee Volunteers, please refer to the information below!

Table of Contents show

Professional Athletes

R.A. Dickey (Baseball)

Profile: Starting Pitcher for Rangers, Mariners, Twins, Mets, Blue Jays & Braves (2001-2017)
Connection: The 2012 NL Cy Young winner spent three seasons with the Vols baseball program (1994-1996). Dickey was able to lead Tennessee to the 1995 College World Series appearance. For his tenure in Knoxville, he compiled a 38-10 record with 3.40 earned run average and 345 strikeouts.

Todd Helton (Baseball)

Profile: Infielder for the Colorado Rockies (1997-2013)
Connection: The 2007 National League champion actually played both baseball and football during the 1990’s. In fact, Helton served as a backup quarterback to Peyton Manning. Along with R.A. Dickey, the former Rockies player guided the Vols to a 1995 College World Series berth. For his three seasons with Tennessee baseball, he batted 0.370 with 38 home runs and 238 runs batted in.

Peyton Manning (Football)

Profile: Quarterback for Indianapolis Colts & Denver Broncos (1998-2015)
Connection: The 2-Time Super Bowl champion spent four seasons with the men in orange and white (1994-1997). During his time in Knoxville, Manning led the Vols to three bowl game victories and a Top-5 ranking in 1995. For his collegiate career, he threw for 11,201 yards and scored 89 total touchdowns.

Candance Parker (Basketball)

Profile: Power Forward for WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks & Chicago Sky (2008-Present)
Connection: The 2-Time WNBA champion spent three seasons with the Lady Vols basketball program (2005-2008). In addition, Parker guided Tennessee to back-to-back national championships in 2007 and 2008. For her collegiate career, she scored 19.4 points per game along with 8.8 rebounds per game and 2.6 assists per game.

Tamika Catchings (Basketball)

Profile: WNBA Player for Indiana Fever (2002-2016)
Connection: The 2012 WNBA champion spent four seasons with Tennessee women’s basketball (1997-2001). In fact, Catchings led the Lady Vols to consecutive national titles in 1997 and 1998. For her collegiate career, she scored 16.6 points per game along with 7.9 rebounds per game and 2.7 assists per game.

Celebrities (Movies, Music, Books, Shows)

Paul Finebaum (TV Sports Journalist)

Profile: ESPN’s Sportscaster for College Football (2014-Present)
Connection: The Memphis native graduated from University of Tennessee with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science during the late 1970’s. In addition, Finebaum worked as an editor for the school’s newspaper The Daily Beacon while in Knoxville. In 2022, he supported the Volunteers’ chances of making the College Football Playoffs during his appearance on ESPN’s First Take.

James Denton (Actor)

Profile: TV Actor Best Known for “Desperate Housewives” and “Good Witch.”
Connection: The Nashville product graduated from the Knoxville-based college with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing during the mid-1980’s. In 2021, Denton received the university’s Alumni Professional Achievement Award for his success in show business.

Constance Shulman (Actress)

Profile: Screen Actress Remembered for “Orange is the New Black” and Animated Series “Doug.”
Connection: The Johnson City native received her Bachelor’s Degree in Theater & Speech during the early 1980’s. In 2017, Shulman was the university’s guest professor for two master classes in theater. Also in that same year, she participated in an interview with the school’s magazine Torchbear to discuss her life and career.

Logan Marshall-Green (Actor)

Profile: Screen Actor with Hit Works like “Spider-Man: Homecoming” and ABC’s “Big Sky” (2021-2022).
Connection: Green earned his Bachelor’s Degree from Tennessee during the late 1990’s. Believe it or not, the actor previously worked as an entertainment correspondent for the school’s newspaper The Daily Beacon.

Jimmy Haslam (Entrepreneur)

Profile: Co-Owner of the NFL’s Cleveland Browns & MLS’ Columbus Crew.
Connection: The 2020 MLS Cup champion graduated from the University of Tennessee with a Bachelor’s Degree in Arts & Science during the mid-1970’s. In 2013, the CEO for Pilot Flying J® was the winner of the school’s Distinguished Alumnus Award for his contributions to the business world. Seven years later, the Haslam family provided a $40 million donation to construct the College of Business building on University of Tennessee’s Knoxville campus.

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10 Celebrities that Root for Tennessee Volunteers

10 Celebrities that Root for Tennessee Volunteers