Hendon Hooker reveals the first thing he thought about after Tennessee beat Alabama
This past season, Hendon Hooker led the Tennessee Vols to one of their most memorable wins since the turn of the century. Tennessee's dramatic win over Alabama last fall was easily one of the top college football games of the 2022 season. And it included an incredible final possession for the Vols that featured Hooker […]
This past season, Hendon Hooker led the Tennessee Vols to one of their most memorable wins since the turn of the century.
Tennessee's dramatic win over Alabama last fall was easily one of the top college football games of the 2022 season.
And it included an incredible final possession for the Vols that featured Hooker leading Tennessee into field goal range via a drive that started with just 15 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
Hooker exuded calmness and confidence during Tennessee's final drive, smoothly completing two passes to Ramel Keyton and Bru McCoy to set up Chase McGrath's game-winning 40-yard field goal.
So what was Hooker thinking about after the Vols' thrilling win?
While I'm sure Hooker was thinking about the significance of the win, he also had some non-football-related thoughts.
Hooker was recently asked by "The Spun" about his initial thoughts after the Vols beat Alabama. The Greensboro, NC native revealed that he had dinner reservations on his mind.
"Well, it was my dad’s birthday," explained Hooker. "So I was thinking, ‘Man are we going to be able to make the reservation to the restaurant.’ The game was taking so long, so I figured we’d hit so much traffic. But really, I just thought that we should celebrate the win that night and then quickly move on to the next one. You can’t dwell on success or failure."
Regardless of what happens from here in Hooker's football career — even if he wins a Super Bowl in the NFL — he'll likely never be part of a celebration as big as the one after Tennessee's win over Alabama. That celebration doesn't happen without Hooker's brilliance on that unforgettable Saturday afternoon. And yet Hooker was thinking about his dad's birthday. He was thinking about celebrating his father. Hooker is one of the most competitive football players I've ever seen, but he's also incredibly selfless.
Hooker's a special player and a special person. The Detroit Lions, which picked him in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, are certainly getting a good one — on and off the field.
