The decal features an orange butterfly with “Dolly” inscribed in the center.
The University of Tennessee football team will honor the late Dolly Parton with a commemorative helmet sticker during every game this season, the head coach said Monday.
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Parton, a Tennessee native who died last week at age 80, had ties to the university, performing “Rocky Top,” the unofficial song of the Volunteers, during a 2023 football game.
It was one of several times she performed on the Knoxville campus.
She gave a commencement speech there in 2009 and was awarded an honorary doctorate of humane and musical letters that year.
Head Coach Josh Heupel announced the tribute Monday at a news conference and said he would be remiss if he didn’t mention Parton’s passing.
“All that she’s meant across the world, this country, and certainly the queen of east Tennessee. A lady that was extremely proud of her roots,” he said. “You look at her impact, just her ability to give back, make an impact to people, certainly here in east Tennessee.”
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“She means a lot to people across this country, but certainly here inside the state of Tennessee, too.”
The Volunteers will play their first game on Sept. 5.
The football team at Middle Tennessee State University said it would honor the global superstar by wearing a commemorative jersey patch during their home opener.
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