KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – As the 2026 NFL season gets underway this week, 37 former Vols are set to compete on football’s biggest stage.
The 37 VFLs represent 21 different NFL teams, with 21 beginning the season on active rosters. Ten additional Vols are on practice squads, while six begin the season on injured reserve or reserve/NFI. A complete list of Vols in the NFL is available HERE.
The NFL season kicks off Wednesday night with a Super Bowl rematch as the Seattle Seahawks host the New England Patriots. The opening week continues Thursday when former Vol wide receiver Jauan Jennings and the Minnesota Vikings travel to Green Bay to take on Kamal Hadden and the Packers.
Jennings enters his seventh NFL season after establishing himself as one of the league’s more physical wide receivers with the San Francisco 49ers. He signed with Minnesota during the offseason and begins a new chapter with the Vikings in 2026.
Among Tennessee’s veteran standouts, Alvin Kamara returns for his 10th season with the New Orleans Saints, while Trey Smith enters his sixth campaign with the Kansas City Chiefs. Offensive tackle Darnell Wright begins his fourth season with the Chicago Bears after signing a four-year, $116 million contract extension in the offseason.
Twenty-nine of the 37 Vols in the NFL played under head coach Josh Heupel.
