Hendon Hooker shares farewell note to Vol Nation after 2 seasons at Tennessee
Hendon Hooker bid farewell to Tennessee on Monday night as he turns the page to focus on the 2023 NFL Draft.
Hooker exhausted his college eligibility by returning for a sixth season in 2022, using the NCAA’s COVID-19 waiver to not count 2020. On Monday, he reflected on his time in Knoxville in a farewell note:
Vol Nation –
Thank you for your amazing support and loyalty. For me personally, I can’t tell you how many of you have reached out over the past month following my injury. That means the world to me. Whether it was through social media or handwritten letters, you lifted me up.
I want to thank my coaches — Coach Heupel, Coach Halzle, Coach Golesh, Coach Mitello and Coach Peery — for helping me become the player I am today. You instilled confidence and belief in me, and I never wanted to let you down.
Thanks to my family — my mom, my pops, my sister and my brother — your love and unwavering faith in me have been a guiding light.
Lastly and certainly not least, thank you to my teammates. We grinned, we cheered, we cried and we lifted this program back to prominence. There is something special about the brotherhood in that locker room.
Thank you God, for the blessings you bestowed on me every day, giving me the chance to play the game that I love.
Two years ago, the people of Tennessee took in a graduate transfer quarterback looking to make his mark. I am proud of the legacy we leave behind. My hope is we made those before us proud and that we inspired those who will follow in our footsteps.
As many of my teammates and I begin the next chapter in the NFL, just this, we’ll always be Volunteers.
Hendon Hooker, VFL.
Hooker heads to the NFL having put up 11,053 yards of total offense, completing 632-of-944 passes (66.9 percent) for 8,974 yards and 80 touchdowns with 12 interceptions in his college career. He began his college career playing 4 seasons at Virginia Tech before transferring to UT.
Hooker finished his 2-season Tennessee career with 58 TD passes, the fifth-most in program history.He accounted for 7,126 yards of total offense in his 24 games as a Vol, the sixth-best total in program history.
Hooker was named the 2022 SEC Offensive Player of the Year by the conference coaches, Associated Press and USA Today.
— Hendon Hooker (@henhook2) January 3, 2023
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Tennessee sports betting officially launched on November 1, 2020. Tennessee was the first SEC state to legalize sports betting.
Classy kid.
Hooker, you are the type of player we were waiting years for. I know I’m going to miss cheering you on Saturdays but I’m hoping I get to watch you make some moves in the NFL
Thanks for the memories HH. Finish your business and get your NFL dream. Vol fans will always have your back.
Imagine if we’de had him since the beginning.
Do well, Hendon. Make us proud.
Thank you Hendon! Best of luck at the next level!
Dear Hendon Hooker,
Thank you for choosing to be a Volunteer. Thank you for giving your all. It’s been an amazing couple of years watching what you do on the field and hearing of the kind of man that you are. I’m proud of you and of this team. You’ve led this team to the checkerboards again and again and again. You’ve led this program out of the dungeon and thrilled us all. You’re a legend as far as I’m concerned.
Love this guy.
Thanks for everything, and Go Big Orange!
6 years in college, so now the NCAA will grant 2 more years to everyone that had their playing time stolen from them by Peter Pan and Tinkerbell. Thereby stealing another 2 years from regular juniors and seniors??? Who thinks this horse manure up and who fails to tell the story of all the people who get cheated by it? Yup the least deserving pro candidates and their college coaches who know they can have the golden goose for another 2 years, and where is the unsolicited voice of coaches who have the sense to know this is a 1 for 1 hurt somebody for everyone you say you are helping. Graduate and get a job.
“Bitter, party of one, your table is ready.”
The hate is crazy
1) He’s already graduated.
2) I think he has an NIL deal-which is kind of like a job.
Please pass the mustard to Wolfman.
Great kid, definite #VFL
Such a great success story and humble kid. He bleeds orange too. Reading the stories of him working so hard with Milton before the orange bowl speak volumes. He will be missed.