Tommy Tuberville
Tommy Tuberville | |
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2023 | |
| United States Senator from Alabama | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2021 Serving with Katie Britt | |
| Preceded by | Doug Jones |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Thomas Hawley Tuberville September 18, 1954 Camden, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses |
|
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Southern Arkansas University (BS) |
| Website | Senate website Campaign website |
| Coaching career | |
| Playing career | |
| 1972–1975 | Southern State |
| Position(s) | Safety |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1976–1977 | Hermitage HS (AR) (assistant) |
| 1978–1979 | Hermitage HS (AR) |
| 1980–1984 | Arkansas State (DB/NG/LB) |
| 1986–1992 | Miami (FL) (assistant) |
| 1993 | Miami (FL) (DC) |
| 1994 | Texas A&M (DC/LB) |
| 1995–1998 | Ole Miss |
| 1999–2008 | Auburn |
| 2010–2012 | Texas Tech |
| 2013–2016 | Cincinnati |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 159–99 (college) 9–10 (high school) |
| Bowls | 7–6 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 1× SEC (2004) 1× The American (2014) 5× SEC Western Division (2000–2002, 2004–2005) | |
| Awards | |
| 1× AP Coach of the Year (2004) 1× AFCA Coach of the Year (2004) 1× Paul "Bear" Bryant Award (2004) 1× Sporting News College Football COY (2004) 1× Walter Camp Coach of the Year (2004) 2× SEC Coach of the Year (1997, 2004) | |
Thomas Hawley Tuberville (/ˈtʌbərvɪl/;[1] TUH-bərv-il; born September 18, 1954) is an American politician and retired college football coach who is the senior United States senator from Alabama, a seat he has held since 2021. He is a member of the Republican Party. Before entering politics, Tuberville was the head football coach at Auburn University from 1999 to 2008. He was also the head football coach at the University of Mississippi from 1995 to 1998, Texas Tech University from 2010 to 2012, and the University of Cincinnati from 2013 to 2016.
Tuberville won five national coach-of-the-year awards (AP, AFCA, Sporting News, Walter Camp, and Bear Bryant) after Auburn's 13–0 season in 2004, in which Auburn won the Southeastern Conference title and the Sugar Bowl, but was left out of the BCS National Championship Game. He earned his 100th career win in 2007. Tuberville is the only Auburn football coach to beat in-state rival Alabama six consecutive times. In 2015, he was the president of the American Football Coaches Association. He worked for ESPN as a color analyst for its college football coverage during 2017.[2]
In his first political campaign, Tuberville ran in the 2020 Senate election in Alabama, winning the Republican primary and defeating Democratic incumbent Doug Jones.[3][4][5] Establishing himself as an ally of President Donald Trump, he was among a group of Republican senators who voted to object to the certification of the 2020 presidential election.[6][7][8]
In 2023, in protest of a Defense Department policy reimbursing travel for service members seeking abortions, Tuberville blocked all promotions of senior officers in the U.S. military for 10 months, delaying over 450 promotions.[9][10][11]
Tuberville initially ran for reelection to a second term, but on May 27, 2025, he said he would instead run for governor of Alabama in 2026.[12]
- ^ Adams, Jessalyn (March 4, 2020). "'We need a different voice:' Tommy Tuberville says it's time to send real people to Washington D.C." CBS 42. Archived from the original on March 4, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
- ^ "ESPN adds Tommy Tuberville as college football analyst. He currently hosts a radio talk show for wearebackroads sports network". ESPN.com. July 19, 2017. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
- ^ Cason, Mike (April 6, 2019). "Tommy Tuberville running for U.S. Senate". al. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
- ^ Coaston, Jane (July 14, 2020). "Tommy Tuberville wins the Alabama GOP Senate primary, defeating Jeff Sessions". Vox. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
- ^ "Alabama U.S. Senate Election Results". The New York Times. November 3, 2020. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
- ^ Gross, Jenny; Broadwater, Luke (January 7, 2021). "Here are the Republicans who objected to certifying the election results". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
- ^ "Roll Call Vote 117th Congress - 1st Session". USSen. U.S. Senate. January 7, 2021. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
- ^ Wagner, John; Helderman, Rosalind S. (December 31, 2020). "Hawley's plan to contest electoral college vote certification ensures drawn-out process". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
- ^ Skove, Sam (August 4, 2023). "Army now 2nd service without Senate-confirmed leader". Defense One. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
- ^ Nazzaro, Miranda (August 14, 2023). "Three military services now without Senate-confirmed heads for first time in history". The Hill. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
- ^ Beggin, Riley (May 27, 2025). "Tommy Tuberville, ex-Auburn football coach, announces 2026 campaign for Alabama governor". USA Today.