Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker. Photo via Tennessee Athletics.
The Tennessee Titans have made a roster move that Tennessee Vols football fans will love. On Wednesday, Jeremy Fowler reported that former UT quarterback Hendon Hooker has signed with the NFL’s Titans.
Hooker, who played his way into the hearts of Vol fans during the 2021 and 2022 seasons to get the Josh Heupel Era started, will now be just a short drive from Rocky Top as he continues his NFL career.
The Titans are the fourth NFL franchise Hooker is joining in his career. Coming off an ACL tear that forced him to miss his rookie year, Hooker was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. In August of 2025, Hooker was waived by the Lions and joined the Carolina Panthers. After being waived by the Panthers, he joined the New York Jets.
Hooker is now the fourth quarterback signed to the Titans’ roster. The undisputed starter is Cam Ward, who just came off a strong rookie year as the No. 1 pick in the draft. Behind him, Tennessee still rosters Will Levis (though reports indicate he’ll likely be traded) and signed Mitchell Trubisky as Ward’s backup.
Free agent quarterback Hendon Hooker is signing with the Titans, per source.
Former draft pick of the Detroit Lions was last with Carolina. pic.twitter.com/XzqHIyjKo1
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) April 1, 2026
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After losing the quarterback competition before the 2021 season at UT, Hooker entered after Joe Milton was injured against Pitt in the second game of the year, and never looked back. He took over the starting job and helped the Vols earn a 7-5 regular season record.
The following year, Hooker played his way into being considered a Heisman Trophy candidate for most of the season. The team finished 10-2 (6-2 SEC) and just missed out on the four-team College Football Playoffs. This came after UT defeated Alabama and Florida at home and held the No. 1 ranking in the country for part of the season. However, Hooker was injured in the penultimate game of the year, tearing his ACL during an upset loss at South Carolina.
Prior to his time on Rocky Top, Hooker played at Virginia Tech. He transferred in under Jeremy Pruitt and stayed true to the commitment despite the coaching change to Heupel before playing a snap.