Tennessee Football Unveils Special Dolly Parton Tribute Helmet Ahead of Season Opener

The No. 18 Tennessee Volunteers will honor the late Queen of Country Music with special butterfly helmet stickers and a new fourth-quarter anthem during their season opener against Furman at Neyland Stadium.

KNOXVILLE, Tennessee – The Tennessee Volunteers are paying a heartfelt tribute to the late Dolly Parton as they kick off their 2026 season, unveiling special butterfly helmet stickers and planning multiple in-game honors for the East Tennessee native who died on Aug. 25 at age 80 .

The Vols will wear an orange butterfly decal featuring Parton's famous signature on the back of their helmets for every game this season . Coach Josh Heupel announced the tribute during his weekly press conference, calling Parton the "Queen of East Tennessee" .

"All that she's meant across the world, this country, and certainly the Queen of East Tennessee," Heupel said. "A lady that was extremely proud of her roots. You look at her impact, just her ability to give back, make an impact to people, certainly here in East Tennessee" .

A Season of Tributes

Athletics Director Danny White revealed that the tributes will extend far beyond the helmet decals. In a social media post, he encouraged fans to stay in their seats for the halftime show and between the third and fourth quarters .

"Our helmet stickers won't be the only way we honor Dolly on Saturday. We've got tributes planned throughout the game," White wrote .

The Pride of the Southland Band will perform Parton's iconic hits "I Will Always Love You" and "9 to 5" during halftime . Additionally, Tennessee will debut a new fourth-quarter anthem featuring one of Parton's songs, replacing Morgan Wallen's "The Way I Talk" .

The Vols have also released an emotional Week 1 hype video featuring Parton's "My Tennessee Mountain Home," further showcasing their commitment to honoring the beloved singer .

A Deep Connection

The tribute is a reflection of Parton's profound connection to the University of Tennessee. In November 2023, she sang "Rocky Top" inside Neyland Stadium, joined by legendary quarterback Peyton Manning and the UT choir . She also delivered a commencement address in 2009 and received an honorary doctorate of humane and musical letters .

In 2023, Tennessee partnered with Parton to release an exclusive Vols Edition of her album "Rockstar," featuring a live version of "Rocky Top" — her final solo studio album .

Fans have embraced the tributes, with many calling for the butterfly decal to become a permanent part of the uniform . One wrote: "Make it a permanent part of the uniform" .

Season Opener Details

The Vols open their season against Furman on Sept. 5 at 3:30 p.m. ET, broadcast on SEC Network+ . The game will also feature the debut of true freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon, marking the first time since 2004 that a true freshman starts a Week 1 contest for Tennessee .