Tennessee Volunteers Legend Johnny Majors Named to TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in Sports
The sports world is buzzing after today’s announcement: Tennessee Volunteers legend Johnny Majors has been named to TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in Sports. The recognition comes decades after Majors left his indelible mark on college football, and it’s being celebrated as both stunning and long-overdue.
Majors, whose name is etched in Volunteers history for his electrifying play on the field and transformative leadership off it, has long been considered one of the greatest figures in college athletics. TIME described him as a “visionary leader whose influence extends far beyond the gridiron,” praising his ability to shape not only programs but entire generations of players and fans.
For Tennessee faithful, the honor validates what they’ve believed for years that Majors was far more than just a coach or a player. His legacy includes thrilling game-day performances as a Heisman Trophy finalist in 1956, his leadership in guiding Pittsburgh to the 1976 national championship, and his return to Knoxville where he rebuilt Tennessee football into a Southeastern Conference powerhouse.
Volunteers athletic director Danny White lauded the recognition, calling Majors “a transformative figure whose fingerprints are still visible across Tennessee football and the wider college sports community.” Fans, meanwhile, flooded social media with tributes, with many declaring this moment as “long overdue recognition for one of the true giants of the game.”
But Majors’ influence isn’t limited to victories and championships. Former players often credit him with instilling lessons about discipline, perseverance, and leadership that carried into their professional and personal lives. In many ways, that enduring impact is exactly what TIME sought to spotlight showcasing Majors not only as a football icon but also as a global sports figure whose influence continues to resonate.
With his selection to the TIME 100, Johnny Majors’ name now joins an elite list of trailblazers who redefined the role of an athlete in modern society. For Volunteers Nation, it’s another reminder that Majors’ legacy will never fade etched forever in orange and white, and now immortalized on the world stage.
