History of Tommy Tuberville in Timeline
Tommy Tuberville is an American politician and former college football coach currently serving as the senior United States Senator from Alabama since 2021. Prior to his political career, he held head coaching positions at four universities: the University of Mississippi (1995-1998), Auburn University (1999-2008), Texas Tech University (2010-2012), and the University of Cincinnati (2013-2016). His career spans both the realms of collegiate athletics and national politics.
1951: Last Texas Tech Coach to Win Bowl Game First Season
In 1951, DeWitt Weaver first season, he was the first to accomplish the feat, before Tuberville in 2011.
September 18, 1954: Tommy Tuberville Born
On September 18, 1954, Thomas Hawley Tuberville was born. He is now a politician and retired college football coach, currently serving as a U.S. Senator for Alabama.
1972: Graduated High School
In 1972, Tuberville graduated from Harmony Grove High School in Camden, Arkansas.
December 19, 1976: Tuberville Married Vicki Lynn Harris
On December 19, 1976, Tommy Tuberville married Vicki Lynn Harris.
1976: Graduated College
In 1976, Tuberville received a B.S. in physical education from Southern State College.
1982: Auburn Broke Alabama's Winning Streak
In 1982, Auburn broke Alabama's nine-year winning streak, a feat Auburn would later surpass during Tuberville's tenure.
1986: Assistant Coach at Miami
In 1986, Tuberville began working as an assistant coach at the University of Miami.
1991: Tuberville Married Suzanne Fette
In 1991, Tuberville married Suzanne (née Fette).
1993: Defensive Coordinator at Miami
In 1993, Tuberville was the defensive coordinator at the University of Miami.
1994: Defensive Coordinator at Texas A&M
In 1994, Tuberville became the defensive coordinator at Texas A&M University.
1994: Head Coaching Job at Ole Miss
In 1994, Tuberville got his first collegiate head coaching job at the University of Mississippi.
1995: Head Coach at Ole Miss
In 1995, Tuberville became the head football coach at the University of Mississippi, starting his head coaching career.
1997: SEC Coach of the Year
In 1997, Tuberville was named the SEC Coach of the Year by the AP while at Ole Miss.
1998: Departure Imminent
At the end of the 1998 regular season, Tuberville stated he would have to be carried out of Ole Miss in a pine box to leave. However, he departed to coach at Auburn less than a week later.
1998: End of Tenure at Ole Miss
In 1998, Tuberville concluded his time as head football coach at Ole Miss.
1998: Joined Auburn University
Tuberville left Ole Miss after the 1998 season to take the head coaching job at Auburn University.
1999: Head Coach at Auburn University
In 1999, Tuberville became the head football coach at Auburn University, a position he held until 2008.
1999: Clifton Robinson Incident
In 1999, during the off-season, wide receiver Clifton Robinson was charged with statutory rape. Tuberville suspended Robinson, and after Robinson pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor, Tuberville allowed him to rejoin the team after a further suspension.
2001: Loss to Alabama
In 2001, Tuberville's team suffered a humbling 24-point loss to a 4–5 Alabama team, highlighting his reputation for losing games when his team was favored.
2003: "JetGate" Scandal
In 2003, after Auburn lost three straight SEC games, the "JetGate" incident occurred when Auburn boosters contacted Bobby Petrino about potentially replacing Tuberville.
2004: Starting backfield lost to NFL
Auburn lost their entire starting backfield to the NFL draft in 2004.
2004: Four First-Round NFL Draft Picks
In 2004, Tuberville coached 19 players who were selected in the NFL draft, including four first-round picks.
2004: SEC Championship at Auburn
In 2004, Tuberville guided Auburn to the top of the SEC standings, leading them to an SEC championship and the Western Division title.
2004: Coach of the Year Awards
In 2004, Tuberville received five national Coach of the Year Awards after Auburn's undefeated season. Auburn won the Southeastern Conference title and the Sugar Bowl but did not play in the BCS National Championship Game.
2004: Big-Game Wins
Since the start of the 2004 season, Tuberville's established himself as a big-game coach in college football, winning 9 of his last 15 games against top-10 opponents.
2005: Winning Season After Draft Losses
In 2005, despite losing the entire starting backfield from the 2004 team to the NFL draft, Tuberville led Auburn to a 9–3 record.
2006: Wins Against Top-5 Teams
In 2006, Tuberville's Tigers beat two top-5 teams that later played in BCS bowls.
2007: 100th Career Win
In 2007, Tuberville achieved his 100th career win as a coach.
October 8, 2008: Fired Tony Franklin
On October 8, 2008, Tuberville fired offensive coordinator Tony Franklin.
December 2008: Formed TS Capital Management
In December 2008, Tuberville formed a 50-50 partnership with John David Stroud, creating TS Capital Management and TS Capital Partners.
2008: Departure from Auburn
In 2008, Tuberville concluded his tenure as head football coach at Auburn University, marking the end of a significant chapter in his coaching career.
2008: Hall of Fame Inductions
In 2008, Tuberville was inducted into the Southern Arkansas University Sports Hall of Fame and the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.
2009: Analyst and Cameo Appearance
During the 2009 football season, Tuberville worked as an analyst for Buster Sports and ESPN and made a cameo appearance in the film "The Blind Side".
December 31, 2009: Expressed Interest in Texas Tech Job
On December 31, 2009, Tuberville expressed his interest in becoming head coach of the Texas Tech Red Raiders.
January 9, 2010: Named Head Coach at Texas Tech
On January 9, 2010, Tuberville was named the head coach at Texas Tech.
2010: Head Coach at Texas Tech
In 2010, Tuberville became the head football coach at Texas Tech University.
January 1, 2011: Won Bowl Game
On January 1, 2011, Tuberville became the second head coach in Texas Tech history to win a bowl game in his first season.
January 18, 2011: Contract Extension at Texas Tech
On January 18, 2011, Tuberville received a one-year contract extension and a $500,000 per year raise at Texas Tech.
2011: Fraud Allegations
From 2008 to 2011, Tuberville and Stroud managed TS Capital Management and TS Capital Partners where investors claimed they were defrauded.
2011: Tuberville Lost Money in Ponzi Scheme
In 2011, Tuberville lost approximately $150,000 due to the closure of GLC Enterprises, which was identified as an $80 million Ponzi scheme by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
February 2012: Investor Lawsuit
In February 2012, Tuberville and Stroud were sued by investors who claimed they were defrauded of over $1.7 million.
May 2012: Stroud Indicted
In May 2012, John David Stroud was indicted for fraudulent use of $5.2 million from Auburn investment companies, including partnerships with Tuberville.
November 10, 2012: Incident with Graduate Assistant
On November 10, 2012, during a game against Kansas, Tuberville yanked the hat and headset off his graduate assistant, Kevin Oliver, leading to a public reprimand.
December 8, 2012: Resigned from Texas Tech
On December 8, 2012, Tuberville resigned as head coach at Texas Tech to become the head coach at the University of Cincinnati.
2012: End of Texas Tech Coaching
In 2012, Tuberville ended his time as head football coach at Texas Tech University.
October 2013: Settled Investor Lawsuit
In October 2013, Tuberville settled the investor lawsuit on undisclosed terms, claiming he was also a victim and lost $450,000.
November 2013: Stroud Pleaded Guilty
In November 2013, John David Stroud pleaded guilty and received a 10-year sentence for fraud.
2013: Head Coach at Cincinnati
In 2013, Tuberville became the head football coach at the University of Cincinnati.
2013: First Season with Cincinnati
In 2013, Tuberville's first season with Cincinnati, he led the Bearcats to a 9-4 record.
2014: Founded Tommy Tuberville Foundation
In 2014, Tuberville founded the Tommy Tuberville Foundation to support military and veterans, health initiatives, and education/community programs.
2014: American Athletic Conference Co-Champions
In 2014, Tuberville's team was 9–4 and earned an American Athletic Conference co-championship.
2014: Mahomes played at Texas Tech
Patrick Mahomes played at Texas Tech from 2014 to 2016.
2015: President of American Football Coaches Association
In 2015, Tuberville served as the president of the American Football Coaches Association.
2015: Contracted Through 2015
January 18, 2011, Tuberville's salary was $2 million through the 2015 season.
December 4, 2016: Resigned from Cincinnati
On December 4, 2016, Tuberville resigned as head coach of Cincinnati after a 4–8 season.
2016: Russian Interference in US Elections
In 2016, Jeff Sessions recused himself from the investigation into Russian interference in the United States elections.
2016: End of Cincinnati Coaching
In 2016, Tuberville's tenure as head football coach at the University of Cincinnati came to an end.
2016: Mahomes played at Texas Tech
Patrick Mahomes played at Texas Tech from 2014 to 2016.
2017: ESPN Color Analyst
In 2017, Tuberville worked as a color analyst for ESPN's college football coverage.
2018: Questions Raised About Veterans' Retreat Funds
In 2018, internal records showed that nearly $20,000 was raised for a temporary project to provide a retreat for veterans, but the records raised bookkeeping questions.
2018: Charity Purchased Truck
In 2018, the charity purchased a truck for $27,369.
April 2019: Tuberville Announced Senate Run
In April 2019, Tommy Tuberville announced his candidacy for the 2020 Republican primary for the Senate seat held by Democrat Doug Jones.
March 3, 2020: Tuberville Advances to Runoff Election
On March 3, 2020, Tuberville received 33.4% of the vote in the Republican primary, leading Jeff Sessions (31.6%) and advancing to a runoff election due to no candidate reaching over 50% of the vote.
May 2020: Trump Calls Sessions "Slime"
In May 2020, Donald Trump called Jeff Sessions "slime" for recusing himself from the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections.
October 2020: Pentagon Report on White Supremacist Inroads
In October 2020, a Pentagon report indicated "white supremacist inroads in the U.S. military".
November 26, 2020: Tuberville Appoints Chief of Staff
On November 26, 2020, Tuberville announced Stephen Boyd as his chief of staff, who was previously the assistant attorney general for the Office of Legislative Affairs at the U.S. Department of Justice.
2020: NYT Reports on Tuberville Foundation Discrepancies
In 2020, The New York Times reported on discrepancies in the Tuberville campaign and foundation's internal records, which showed that in 2018 nearly $20,000 was raised for a veterans' retreat, but financial records raised bookkeeping questions.
2020: Tuberville Senate Campaign
In 2020, Tommy Tuberville's Senate campaign was described as "low-profile," with few pre-scheduled campaign appearances or press conferences. He closely allied himself with President Donald Trump.
2020: Objected to 2020 Presidential Election Results
In 2020, Tuberville objected to the counting of electoral votes won by Joe Biden in the presidential election.
2020: Elected to the Senate
In 2020, Tuberville won the Republican nomination for the Senate election in Alabama and defeated incumbent Doug Jones.
2020: Tuberville Foundation Called "Questionable Charity"
In 2020, the Associated Press labeled the Tuberville Foundation as "a questionable charity that raises money but gives very little away," due to only 18% of funds raised going to charitable causes.
January 2021: Tuberville Objects to Electoral Votes
In January 2021, after taking office, Tuberville joined Republican senators in objecting to the counting of electoral votes won by Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election.
May 28, 2021: Tuberville Votes Against Capitol Attack Commission
On May 28, 2021, Tuberville voted against creating an independent commission to investigate the 2021 United States Capitol attack.
2021: STOCK Act Violations
According to Business Insider, in 2021 Tuberville violated the STOCK Act 132 times.
2021: Became US Senator
In 2021, Tuberville became the senior United States senator from Alabama, marking his entry into national politics.
2021: Washington Post Reports on Tuberville Foundation Spending
In 2021, the Washington Post reported that the Tuberville Foundation spent only 12% of its revenue on charitable activities, with a significant portion going to administrative costs. By the end of 2021, the foundation's website went defunct.
February 2022: Tuberville Dismisses Stock Trading Ban
In February 2022, Tuberville dismissed proposals to ban lawmakers from trading stocks as "ridiculous".
May 2022: Financial Freedom Act Introduced
In May 2022, Tuberville introduced the Financial Freedom Act of 2022, which would allow for the inclusion of cryptocurrency in individual retirement accounts.
June 2022: Tuberville Calls Overturning of Roe v. Wade a "Victory for Life"
In June 2022, after Roe v. Wade was overturned, Tuberville called it a "victory for life".
October 8, 2022: Tuberville Makes Controversial Remarks at Trump Rally
On October 8, 2022, at a Trump rally in Nevada, Tuberville made controversial remarks about Democrats, claiming they are "pro-crime" and "want reparation [sic]", which were widely condemned as inaccurate and racist.
December 2022: Tuberville Threatens Hold on Military Promotions
In December 2022, Tuberville threatened to place a Senate hold on military promotions to protest a policy allowing pregnant service members leave and reimbursement for abortion-related travel, following the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
2022: Tuberville on Respect for Marriage Act
In 2022, Tuberville stated there was "no need for legislating on gay marriage" and voted against the Respect for Marriage Act, despite saying, "I'm all about live life the way you want to. It's a free country."
February 1, 2023: Tuberville Announced Committee Assignments
On February 1, 2023, Tuberville announced his committee assignments for the 118th Congress.
February 2023: Tuberville Announces Hold on Military Nominations
In February 2023, Tuberville announced he would hold all "civilian, flag, and general officer nominations" due to the "illegal expansion of DoD authority and gross misuse of taxpayer dollars" for abortions.
February 2023: Tuberville Co-Sponsors Bill on Gender Dysphoria in Military
In February 2023, Tuberville co-sponsored a bill to prevent people with a history or diagnosis of gender dysphoria from serving in the U.S. military, with limited exceptions.
March 2023: Tuberville Reintroduces Transgender Sports Bill
In March 2023, Tuberville reintroduced a bill to forbid public schools from allowing a trans girl or woman to participate in a girl's or women's sport.
March 25, 2023: Tuberville Complains About Navy Video
On March 25, 2023, Tuberville publicly complained about a video of a nonbinary sailor reading a poem on the USS Gerald R. Ford, leading to a response from the chief of naval operations in support of the sailor.
May 10, 2023: Tuberville Comments on White Nationalists in the Military
On May 10, 2023, Tuberville said that he considers white nationalists in the military as "Americans," leading to a statement from his staff clarifying his skepticism about their presence, despite evidence to the contrary.
June 2023: Resident Arrested for Threatening a Member of Congress
In June 2023, a New Hampshire resident was arrested and charged with threatening to assault, kidnap or murder a member of Congress, connected to Tuberville's 2023 hold on military promotions.
July 2023: Tuberville Foundation Activities Paused
In July 2023, a spokesperson for Tuberville announced that the Tuberville Foundation had paused its activities due to an audit, with plans for Tuberville to reform it.
July 2023: Tuberville Reverses Statement on White Nationalists
In July 2023, after initially denying that white nationalists are inherently racist, Tuberville reversed his statement a day later, saying, "White nationalists are racists."
October 2023: Hayden's Comment on Tuberville
In October 2023, Michael Hayden, a retired Air Force general, suggested that Tuberville not be considered human, after a social-media post asked whether Tuberville should be removed from his committee assignments.
December 5, 2023: Tuberville Partially Lifts Hold on Military Promotions
On December 5, 2023, Tuberville largely lifted his hold on military promotions, which had blocked 451 promotions during the previous week; the Senate responded by promoting 425 military officers.
December 24, 2023: Doxxing and Swatting Incident
On December 24, 2023, Tommy Tuberville was a victim of doxxing and swatting, alongside other prominent figures.
2023: Military Promotions Blockade
For 10 months in 2023, Tuberville blocked all promotions of senior officers in the U.S. military to protest Defense Department policies on abortion.
2023: Senior Senator for Alabama
In 2023, Tuberville became Alabama's senior senator upon Richard Shelby's retirement.
2023: Tuberville Votes Against Fiscal Responsibility Act
In 2023, Tuberville was among the 31 Senate Republicans who voted against final passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, stating the bill did not go far enough to reform the budget.
March 29, 2024: Tuberville Accuses Democrats of Being a "Satanic Cult"
On March 29, 2024, Tuberville accused the Democratic Party of being a "Satanic cult" in response to a tweet about the banning of religious-themed designs from the White House Easter Egg art contest.
June 2024: Tuberville Calls Zelenskyy a "Dictator"
In June 2024, Tuberville called Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy a "dictator" and commented on Russian president Vladimir Putin's intentions regarding Ukraine and Europe.
November 12, 2024: Tuberville Announces Reelection Campaign
On November 12, 2024, Tuberville announced his candidacy for reelection for a second term in the 2026 elections.
January 2025: Tuberville Comments on Transgender Children
In January 2025, Tuberville said that transgender children should "live in fear" of their parents as he believed the parents were turning them trans, which Tuberville called "child abuse".
2025: Mahomes Recruiting Claim
In 2025, Tuberville claimed he recruited Patrick Mahomes to Texas Tech, but Mahomes refuted this claim.
2025: Tuberville Praises Trump's Proposal for Gaza
In 2025, Tuberville praised Trump's proposal to have the U.S. take over the Gaza Strip, calling it "a good idea".
2026: Upcoming Election Year
In 2026, Tuberville will be up for reelection for a second term.
