Senior Bowl director's statement about Vols QB Hendon Hooker won't go over well with opposing fan bases
Tennessee Vols quarterback Hendon Hooker is at the Senior Bowl in Alabama this week even though he won't participate in any game action. Hooker, who tore his ACL in November in a loss to South Carolina, is off crutches but he's not yet ready to resume football activities. The Greensboro, NC native, however, was still […]
Tennessee Vols quarterback Hendon Hooker is at the Senior Bowl in Alabama this week even though he won't participate in any game action.
Hooker, who tore his ACL in November in a loss to South Carolina, is off crutches but he's not yet ready to resume football activities.
The Greensboro, NC native, however, was still invited to the Senior Bowl where he'll meet with NFL teams and take part in media interviews.
An injured player who can't go through most of the Senior Bowl activities usually wouldn't receive an invite. But Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy felt it was important for Hooker to be at the event.
Part of the reason that's the case is because Nagy feels like Hooker was the face of college football for much of 2022.
"With interviews and meeting room time being so critical for quarterbacks, and with Hendon being the person he is and the season he had — I mean, he was the face of college football for a good chunk of the season," said Nagy. "I've gotten to know Hendon a little bit. I met him at the Manning Camp, I met him on campus in August when I went up there. He deserves this opportunity."
That video from Nagy shows just well thought-of Hooker is as a player and as a person, even though opposing fan bases — specifically Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, and USC (teams with great quarterbacks in 2022) — likely won't appreciate the "face of college football" comment.
Hooker has been an incredible ambassador for Tennessee. And I expect that will continue once he begins his NFL career in the next few months.
Featured image via Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
