If you’ve ever wondered if an opposing player has taken the field at Neyland Stadium against the Tennessee Vols with lighters in their pants, the answer is yes.

And if you’re like me and you never wondered that before today, well, you’re about to find out why.

Former Alabama QB Greg McElroy explains why he had lighters in his pants at Neyland Stadium

Former Alabama quarterback turned college football analyst Greg McElroy explained on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning on Wednesday why he played a few snaps at Neyland Stadium in 2008 with lighters in his pants.

Unsurprisingly, it has to do with the tradition of the winner of the Bama vs Vols game smoking cigars to celebrate.

“I had lighters in my pants against Tennessee,” said McElroy. “Multiple (lighters). I was a backup in 2008. I’ve told this story before. We bought all the cigars, and we realized about midway through the fourth quarter, we’re up pretty big, that we don’t have lighters. Baron Huber was like, ‘We’ve gotta get lighters.’ I’m like, ‘Oh gosh, fine, we’ll get lighters.’

“We start asking people in the stands, and people start throwing down their Bic lighters. And I put all the lighters into my pants, thinking it would just be a safe place to store them… And then sure enough, the final four plays of the game, Coach puts me in because we’re up big. Yes, I played a game in Neyland Stadium with lighters in my pants.”

Alabama won that game 29-9. It was the last time Phillip Fulmer coached against the Crimson Tide.

McElroy handed the ball off the last few snaps of the game, so he didn’t have to worry about trying to make a play with lighters in his pants.

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