Tennessee Legend John Henderson Set to Enter College Football Hall of Fame

A Tennessee legend is headed to the College Football Hall of Fame.

As announced by the College Football Hall of Fame and the National Football Foundation on Wednesday afternoon, former Tennessee defensive lineman John Henderson has been selected into the 2025 class

The announcement on Wednesday comes just two years after Henderson was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2023.

Henderson, a former graduate of Pearl-Cohn High School in Nashville, attended the University of Tennessee from 1998 to 2001 under head coach Phillip Fulmer. “Big John” embodied the passion and spirit of Tennessee football throughout his entire career.

“That dude was a bad dude back in the day,” former Tennessee standout Derek Barnett said about Henderson in 2014.

During his time at Tennessee, Henderson was a 6-foot-7 wrecking machine on the Vols’ post-championship defensive line. Henderson earned back-to-back All-America honors and First Team All-SEC honors during his junior and senior seasons in Knoxville. Henderson also earned the title of Outland Trophy winner in 2000 as the nation’s best interior lineman, becoming just the second Outland Trophy winner in program history following defensive tackle Steve DeLong in 1964.

Henderson also earned the SEC Defensive Player of the Year title after his junior season on Rocky Top.

Henderson’s legacy isn’t easily forgotten, either. The former defensive tackle still holds the fourth-most sacks in a single season at Tennessee (12.0 in 2000) and is seventh in Tennessee history in career sacks (20.5).

Tennessee went 28-9 during Henderson’s four years in Knoxville and won the SEC East during his senior season in 2001. Henderson ended his Tennessee career with 162 tackles, 38.5 tackles for loss, 20.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, and seven pass breakups.