Tennessee starting tight end Ethan Davis will miss the remainder of the 2026 season after suffering an ACL injury, coach Josh Heupel confirmed Monday. The 6-foot-5, 247-pound senior from Atlanta was injured during the No. 15 Volunteers’ 45-24 victory at Georgia Tech on Saturday. Davis scored Tennessee’s first touchdown on a 25-yard reception from freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon before leaving the game in the fourth quarter.
Heupel said Davis was hurt when a Georgia Tech player fell on his legs during a tackle. Davis was able to jog off the field at the time, but further evaluation revealed the season-ending injury. “I hate it for Ethan, the work that he put into it, the growth of the person and the player, that the season’s cut short, but the next guy’s got to be prepared and take advantage of their opportunity,” Heupel said.
The injury is a significant setback for Tennessee, as Davis had emerged as the team’s starting tight end after overcoming an injury-plagued offseason. He opened the season with touchdown catches in each of the Volunteers’ first two games and was coming off a 2025 campaign in which he caught 21 passes for 257 yards and two touchdowns. Davis has 39 receptions for 433 yards and six touchdowns in 26 career games, with previous injuries including a broken collarbone in 2023 and a shoulder nerve issue in 2025.
Sophomore DaSaahn Brame is expected to take over as Tennessee’s primary tight end. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound Brame has played in the Volunteers’ 12-personnel packages but has limited production as a receiver, with seven catches for 70 yards over his first two seasons. South Alabama transfer Trent Thomas and freshman Luca Wolf are also expected to see increased opportunities as Tennessee prepares to host Kennesaw State on Saturday before opening SEC play against No. 1 Texas on Sept. 26.
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