One of Tennessee football’s most experienced coaches on its staff is expected to return for the 2026 season. According to a report from On3’s Pete Nakos, defensive line coach Rodney Garner has been the lone assistant coach at UT on an expiring contract, but all signs point to him staying in Knoxville.
Garner is one of the most well-respected position coaches in the country due to plenty of years churning out NFL talent across the SEC. There were brief rumors that he could return to Auburn this offseason with Alex Golesh, but the Tigers went elsewhere to fill the role.
Now, Garner appears to be working out a contract that keeps him on Rocky Top. He has been at UT since Josh Heupel took over the program in 2021. This was his second stint with the Vols after coaching tight ends in 1996 and tight ends and offensive tackles in 1997.
The expectation is that Rodney Garner will return as Tennessee defensive line coach in 2026, a source tells @On3sports.
He had been the lone assistant on an expiring contract. Has developed James Pearce Jr. and Derrick Brown, among others. https://t.co/oFirWEofUv pic.twitter.com/ax0Dx9rutv
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos) December 28, 2025
More From RTI: IlliniGuys’ Matthews Stevens Previews Music City Bowl Clash Between Tennessee and Illinois
Garner began his coaching career at Auburn as a tight ends coach, recruiting coordinator and assistant strength and conditioning coach from 1990-95. After his two-year stop with Tennessee, he went to Georgia from 1998-2004 as the defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator. From 2005-12, he was promoted to assistant head coach and defensive line coordinator for the Bulldogs.
From 2013-20, he went back to The Plains to work for Auburn. He was the associate head coach and defensive line coach there before taking the job under Heupel with the Vols. He also played for the Tigers, where he won a pair of SEC titles.
Under his watch at Tennessee, Garner has helped defensive linemen James Pearce Jr., Omarr Norman-Lott, Byron Young and Matthew Butler get selected in the NFL draft. This year, Joshua Josephs is projected to join that group.
If Garner and UT make it official, it’d be the fourth significant move to Heupel’s staff since the regular season ended. Most notably, Heupel fired defensive coordinator Tim Banks and replaced him with Jim Knowles. He also extended offensive coordinator Joey Halzle and promoted Kelsey Pope to the passing game coordinator role, along with his wide receiver coach responsibilities, on a new deal.
