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Nearly 3 years after his final game at Tennessee, Vols QB Hendon Hooker leaves no doubt how he feels about Knoxville

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Zach Ragan | Last updated Jun 7, 2025 11:31 AM ET

Former Tennessee Vols quarterback Hendon Hooker only spent two seasons in Knoxville (2021 and 2022), but that was enough to make Rocky Top feel like "home" for the North Carolina native.

Hooker, who is entering his third season in the NFL with the Detroit Lions, was back in Knoxville on Friday to host a youth football camp at Fulton High School.

The former Vol said that he feels like he's from Knoxville, even though he only spent two seasons at Tennessee.

"This is home for me, that's really unexplainable," said Hooker. "Just coming back, it always feels like I'm from [Knoxville], so anytime that I'm back, it's always a great feeling."

“It always just feels like home every time I come back to Knoxville, everyone in the community embraces me like one of their own," added Hooker.

"This is home for me...something that's really unexplainable."#VFL Hendon Hooker returned to Knoxville tonight to host a youth football camp at Fulton High School. pic.twitter.com/iO8JgjzWOe
— Emilie Rae Cochrane (@EmCochranetv) June 7, 2025

Hooker spent four seasons at Virginia Tech before transferring to Tennessee in 2021.

The former Vol wouldn't be the player or person he is today without those four seasons in Blacksburg, but it's clear that Knoxville is the place that made the biggest impression on Hooker during his college career.

And that's not a surprise. Hooker enjoyed the most successful run of his football career (so far) at Tennessee -- specifically in 2022 when he passed for 3,135 yards and accounted for 32 total touchdowns while leading the Vols to memorable wins against Florida and Alabama.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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