History of Tommy Tuberville in Timeline
Tommy Tuberville is an American politician and former college football coach. He currently serves as the senior United States Senator from Alabama, a position he has held since 2021. Prior to his political career, Tuberville had a successful coaching career, serving as head football coach at several universities, including Auburn University (1999-2008), the University of Mississippi (1995-1998), Texas Tech University (2010-2012), and the University of Cincinnati (2013-2016).
1951: Previous Winning Season
In 1951 DeWitt Weaver had a winning season for Texas Tech.
September 18, 1954: Tommy Tuberville's Birth
On September 18, 1954, Thomas Hawley Tuberville was born. He is an American politician and retired college football coach.
1972: Graduated from High School
In 1972, Tommy Tuberville graduated from Harmony Grove High School in Camden, Arkansas.
December 19, 1976: Marriage to Vicki Lynn Harris
On December 19, 1976, Tommy Tuberville married Vicki Lynn Harris. They later divorced.
1976: Graduated from Southern State College
In 1976, Tommy Tuberville received a B.S. in physical education from Southern State College (now Southern Arkansas University).
1982: Auburn Broke Alabama's Winning Streak
Tommy Tuberville led Auburn to six straight victories over in-state rival Alabama, the longest win streak in this rivalry since 1982, the year Auburn broke Alabama's nine-year winning streak.
1986: Assistant Coach at University of Miami
In 1986, Tommy Tuberville was an assistant coach at the University of Miami. He stayed there till 1994.
1991: Marriage to Suzanne Fette
In 1991, Tommy Tuberville married Suzanne (née Fette). They have two sons.
1993: Defensive Coordinator at Miami
By 1993, Tommy Tuberville was the defensive coordinator at the University of Miami.
1994: Head Coaching Job at Ole Miss
In 1994, Tommy Tuberville got his first collegiate head coaching job at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss).
1994: Defensive Coordinator at Texas A&M
In 1994, Tommy Tuberville replaced Bob Davie as defensive coordinator under R. C. Slocum at Texas A&M University.
1995: Head Football Coach at Mississippi
In 1995, Tommy Tuberville became the head football coach at the University of Mississippi, a role he held until 1998.
1997: SEC Coach of the Year
In 1997, Tommy Tuberville was named the SEC Coach of the Year by the AP while at Ole Miss.
1998: Departure from Ole Miss
After the 1998 regular season, Tommy Tuberville initially stated he would not leave Ole Miss, but departed for Auburn less than a week later.
1998: Took Head Coaching Job at Auburn
After the 1998 season, Tommy Tuberville left Ole Miss to take the head coaching job at Auburn University in Alabama.
1998: End of Mississippi Coaching
Tommy Tuberville's role as the head football coach at the University of Mississippi ended in 1998.
1999: Head Football Coach at Auburn University
In 1999, Tommy 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, Auburn wide receiver Clifton Robinson was charged with statutory rape. Tommy Tuberville suspended him from the team, and Robinson was later punished with a suspension for the season opener after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor.
2001: Loss to Alabama
In 2001, Tommy Tuberville's Auburn team suffered a humbling 24-point loss to a 4-5 Alabama team.
2003: "JetGate" Incident
After Auburn lost three straight SEC games in 2003, Auburn boosters contacted Bobby Petrino about taking over as coach, leading to the "JetGate" controversy.
2004: SEC Championship and Western Division Title
In 2004, Tommy Tuberville guided Auburn to the top of the SEC standings, leading them to an SEC championship and the Western Division title.
2004: National Coach of the Year Awards
In 2004, Tommy Tuberville won five national coach-of-the-year awards (AP, AFCA, Sporting News, Walter Camp, and Bear Bryant) after Auburn's 13-0 season, winning the Southeastern Conference title and the Sugar Bowl.
2004: Awards for Undefeated Season
In 2004, after Auburn went 13-0 and won the SEC title, Tommy Tuberville received the Associated Press College Football Coach of the Year Award, the American Football Coaches Association award, the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association award, and the Walter Camp Football Foundation award.
2004: Four First-Round NFL Draft Picks
Tommy Tuberville coached 19 players who were selected in the NFL draft, including four first-round picks in 2004.
2004: Big Game Successes Started
Tommy Tuberville established himself as one of the best big-game coaches in college football, winning 9 of his last 15 games against top-10 opponents since the start of the 2004 season.
2006: Wins Against Top-5 Teams
In 2006, Tommy Tuberville's Auburn team beat two top-5 teams that later played in BCS bowls, including eventual BCS Champion Florida.
2007: 100th Career Win
In 2007, Tommy Tuberville earned his 100th career win as a football coach.
October 8, 2008: Fired Tony Franklin
On October 8, 2008, Tommy Tuberville fired offensive coordinator Tony Franklin.
December 2008: Formed TS Capital Management
After resigning from Auburn in December 2008, Tommy Tuberville formed a partnership with John David Stroud to create TS Capital Management and TS Capital Partners.
2008: Hall of Fame Inductions
In 2008, Tommy Tuberville was inducted into the Southern Arkansas University Sports Hall of Fame and the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.
2008: End of Auburn University Coaching
Tommy Tuberville's tenure as the head football coach at Auburn University concluded in 2008.
2009: Analyst and Cameo
In 2009, Tommy 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, Tommy Tuberville expressed interest in becoming head coach of the Texas Tech Red Raiders after Mike Leach was fired.
January 9, 2010: Named Head Coach at Texas Tech
On January 9, 2010, Tommy Tuberville was named head coach of the Texas Tech Red Raiders.
2010: Head Football Coach at Texas Tech
In 2010, Tommy Tuberville became the head football coach at Texas Tech University, a position he held until 2012.
January 1, 2011: Won Bowl Game
On January 1, 2011, Tommy Tuberville became the second head coach in Texas Tech football history to win a bowl game in his first season. The game was a 45-38 victory over Northwestern in the inaugural TicketCity Bowl.
January 18, 2011: Contract Extension and Raise
On January 18, 2011, Texas Tech announced that Tommy Tuberville received a one-year contract extension and a $500,000 per year raise.
2011: Fraud Allegations
From 2008 to 2011, Tommy Tuberville was involved in TS Capital Management with John Stroud and was alleged to have defrauded investors of more than $1.7 million.
2011: Investment loss in Ponzi scheme
In 2011, Tommy Tuberville lost approximately $150,000 from a $1.9 million investment in GLC Enterprises, which was identified by the Securities and Exchange Commission as an $80 million Ponzi scheme when the business closed.
February 2012: Investors Sued Tuberville and Stroud
In February 2012, seven investors sued Tommy Tuberville and John David Stroud, alleging they were defrauded of more than $1.7 million invested from 2008 to 2011.
May 2012: Stroud Indicted
In May 2012, John David Stroud was indicted for fraudulent use of $5.2 million from various Auburn investment companies, including his partnerships with Tommy Tuberville.
November 10, 2012: Incident with Graduate Assistant
On November 10, 2012, during a game against Kansas, Tommy Tuberville yanked the hat and headset off his graduate assistant Kevin Oliver. He apologized two days later and was publicly reprimanded by Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby.
December 8, 2012: Resigned from Texas Tech
On December 8, 2012, Tommy Tuberville resigned as head coach at Texas Tech in order to become the 38th head coach at the University of Cincinnati.
2012: End of Texas Tech Coaching
Tommy Tuberville's tenure as the head football coach at Texas Tech University concluded in 2012.
October 2013: Investor Lawsuit Settled
In October 2013, Tommy Tuberville settled the investor lawsuit against him on undisclosed terms.
November 2013: Stroud Sentenced
In November 2013, John David Stroud pleaded guilty and received a 10-year sentence.
2013: Head Football Coach at Cincinnati
In 2013, Tommy Tuberville became the head football coach at the University of Cincinnati, a role he held until 2016.
2014: Patrick Mahomes played at Texas Tech
From 2014 to 2016 Patrick Mahomes played at Texas Tech.
2015: President of American Football Coaches Association
In 2015, Tommy Tuberville served as the president of the American Football Coaches Association.
2015: End of Contract
In 2015, Tommy Tuberville's contract was slated to expire.
December 4, 2016: Resigned as Head Coach of Cincinnati
On December 4, 2016, after a 4-8 season, Tommy Tuberville resigned as head coach of Cincinnati.
2016: Patrick Mahomes played at Texas Tech
From 2014 to 2016 Patrick Mahomes played at Texas Tech.
2016: Jeff Sessions recuses himself from investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections
In 2016, Jeff Sessions recused himself from the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections, which later led to Trump calling Sessions "slime" in May 2020.
2016: End of Cincinnati Coaching
Tommy Tuberville's tenure as the head football coach at the University of Cincinnati ended in 2016.
2017: ESPN Analyst
In 2017, Tommy Tuberville worked for ESPN as a color analyst for its college football coverage.
2018: Internal records for 2018 show possible bookkeeping questions within Tuberville foundation
In 2018, internal records of Tuberville campaign and foundation officials showed nearly $20,000 was raised for a temporary project to provide a retreat for veterans. However, the records raised bookkeeping questions, as they showed more than $61,000 of 2018 revenue, roughly twice what the charity reported to the I.R.S. that year.
2018: The Tuberville foundation purchased a truck for $27,369
In 2018, the Tuberville foundation purchased a truck for $27,369, and by 2021, it spent nearly $12,400 to pay it off, according to a Washington Post report.
April 2019: Tuberville announces run for U.S. Senate in 2020
In April 2019, Tommy Tuberville announced his candidacy for the 2020 Republican primary for the U.S. Senate seat held by Democrat Doug Jones.
March 3, 2020: Tuberville leads in Republican primary, but runoff required
On March 3, 2020, Tommy Tuberville received 33.4% of the vote in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate, ahead of Jeff Sessions (31.6%), but a runoff election was required as neither candidate surpassed 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. During the campaign, Tuberville attacked Sessions for not being "man enough to stand with President Trump when things got tough."
October 2020: Pentagon report indicates "white supremacist inroads in the U.S. military"
In October 2020, a Pentagon report indicated "white supremacist inroads in the U.S. military", an issue that was later discussed when Tommy Tuberville was questioned on the matter in May 2023.
November 26, 2020: Tuberville announces Stephen Boyd as chief of staff
On November 26, 2020, Tommy Tuberville announced that his chief of staff would be Stephen Boyd, who had been serving as assistant attorney general for the Office of Legislative Affairs at the U.S. Department of Justice.
2020: New York Times reports bookkeeping questions within Tuberville foundation
In 2020, The New York Times reported that Tuberville campaign and foundation officials "produced internal records for 2018 that showed nearly $20,000 was raised for a temporary project to provide a retreat for veterans. But the records raised bookkeeping questions, since they showed more than $61,000 of 2018 revenue, roughly twice what the charity reported to the I.R.S. that year".
2020: Tuberville's low-profile campaign for Senate
In 2020, Tommy Tuberville ran a "low-profile" campaign for U.S. Senate, closely allying himself with President Donald Trump. Sean Spicer, former White House press secretary, was a member of his campaign staff.
2020: Won Senate Election in Alabama
In 2020, Tommy Tuberville won the Republican nomination for the Senate election in Alabama, defeating Democratic incumbent Doug Jones. He allied himself with President Donald Trump and attempted to overturn Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 presidential election.
2020: Associated Press calls Tuberville Foundation a "questionable charity"
In 2020, the Associated Press described the Tuberville Foundation as "a questionable charity that raises money but gives very little away", as it spent only 18% of the raised money on charitable causes. Foundation officials countered that tax filings didn't reflect volunteer labor and donated materials.
2020: The 2020 presidential election results were objected to by Tuberville and Republican senators.
In 2020, the presidential election resulted in a victory for Joe Biden, which led to formal objections from Tommy Tuberville and other Republican senators in January 2021, as part of an effort to overturn the election results.
January 2021: Tuberville objects to counting electoral votes for Joe Biden
In January 2021, after taking office, Tommy Tuberville joined a group of Republican senators in formally objecting to counting electoral votes won by Democratic president-elect Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election.
May 28, 2021: Tuberville votes against independent commission to investigate Capitol attack
On May 28, 2021, Tommy Tuberville voted against creating an independent commission to investigate the January 6, 2021 United States Capitol attack.
2021: Became Senator from Alabama
In 2021, Tommy Tuberville became the senior United States senator from Alabama, a seat he has held since then.
2021: Tuberville violated the STOCK Act 132 times in 2021
In 2021, according to Business Insider, Tommy Tuberville violated the STOCK Act 132 times, which led to his dismissal of proposals to ban lawmakers from trading stocks in February 2022.
2021: Washington Post reports on Tuberville foundation spending
In 2021, the Washington Post reported that the Tuberville foundation "reported it had $74,101 in revenue and spent just 12 percent of that, or $9,000, while $32,000 went to administrative costs (including nearly $12,400 to pay off a truck the charity purchased in 2018 for $27,369)".
February 2022: Tuberville dismisses proposals to ban lawmakers from trading stocks
In February 2022, Tommy Tuberville dismissed "ridiculous" proposals to ban lawmakers from trading stocks. According to Business Insider, Tuberville violated the STOCK Act 132 times in 2021.
May 2022: Tuberville introduces Financial Freedom Act of 2022
In May 2022, Tommy 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"
After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, Tommy Tuberville called it a "victory for life". Earlier, he signed an amicus brief supporting the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
October 8, 2022: Tuberville makes controversial remarks at Trump rally
On October 8, 2022, at a Trump rally in Nevada, Tommy Tuberville claimed that Democrats are "pro-crime", "want to take over what you've got", and "want reparation [sic] because they think the people that do the crime are owed that". These remarks were widely condemned as inaccurate and racist.
December 2022: Tuberville threatens to hold military promotions over abortion policy
In December 2022, after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced a policy to allow pregnant service members leave and reimbursement for travel costs to obtain legal abortions, Tommy Tuberville threatened to put a Senate hold on all military promotions in protest.
2022: Tuberville votes against Respect for Marriage Act
In 2022, Tommy Tuberville voted against the Respect for Marriage Act, which would federally codify same-sex marriage, despite saying there was "no need for legislating on gay marriage" and "I'm all about live life the way you want to. It's a free country."
2022: Tuberville votes against Honoring our PACT Act of 2022
In 2022, Tommy Tuberville was among the 11 Senators who voted against the Honoring our PACT Act of 2022, a bill that provided funding for research and benefits for up to 3.5 million veterans exposed to toxic substances during their service.
February 1, 2023: Committee assignments announced
On February 1, 2023, Tommy Tuberville announced his committee assignments for the 118th Congress.
February 2023: Tuberville holds military nominations over abortion policy
In February 2023, Tommy 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 to prevent people with gender dysphoria from serving in the military
In February 2023, Tommy 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 bill to forbid trans girls and women from participating in women's sports
In March 2023, Tommy 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, defining gender based on "reproductive biology and genetics at birth".
March 25, 2023: Tuberville complains about video of nonbinary sailor
On March 25, 2023, Tommy Tuberville publicly complained about a video of Lieutenant Junior Grade Audrey Knutson, a nonbinary sailor, reading a poem aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford, which had gone viral after the U.S. Navy posted it to Instagram.
May 10, 2023: Tuberville questioned on white nationalists in the military
On May 10, 2023, Tommy Tuberville stated that the Biden administration "call[s] them that. I call them Americans," when asked about white nationalists serving in the military. His staff later stated he was skeptical of the presence of white nationalists in the military, not that he believed they should be in the military.
June 2023: New Hampshire resident arrested for threatening a member of Congress connected to Tuberville's hold on military promotions
In June 2023, a New Hampshire resident was arrested and charged with threatening to assault, kidnap or murder a member of Congress, connected to Tommy Tuberville's hold on military promotions.
July 2023: Tuberville comments on white nationalists draw criticism and reversal
In July 2023, Tommy Tuberville initially denied that white nationalists are inherently racist, drawing criticism, but reversed his statement a day later, saying, "White nationalists are racists."
July 2023: Tuberville foundation paused due to audit; Tuberville plans to reform it
In July 2023, a spokesperson for Tuberville announced that the Tommy Tuberville Foundation had paused its activities due to an ongoing audit, and that Tuberville intended to reform it.
August 2023: Residency questioned
In August 2023, The Washington Post reported that campaign finance and property records suggest Tommy Tuberville has been living in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, instead of Auburn, Alabama, for almost two decades, raising questions about his state of residency as a senator.
October 2023: Michael Hayden's controversial comment
In October 2023, retired Air Force general Michael Hayden suggested that Tommy Tuberville should not be considered human, after a social media post asking if Tuberville should be removed from his committee assignments. This was interpreted by some as a call for assassination. Tuberville reported the comment to the United States Capitol Police, claiming Hayden called for his "politically motivated assassination."
December 5, 2023: Tuberville largely lifts hold on military promotions
On December 5, 2023, Tommy 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. But he retained his hold on 11 officers nominated for four-star positions.
December 24, 2023: Tuberville doxxed and swatted
On December 24, 2023, Tommy Tuberville was doxxed and swatted, along with other leading activists and politicians.
2023: Blocked Military Promotions
For 10 months in 2023, Tommy Tuberville blocked all promotions of senior officers in the U.S. military, protesting Defense Department policies on abortion. This delayed the filling of more than 450 other senior positions.
2023: Became Alabama's Senior Senator
In 2023, Tommy Tuberville became Alabama's senior senator after Senator Richard Shelby retired.
2023: Tuberville votes against Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023
In 2023, Tommy Tuberville was among the 31 Senate Republicans who voted against final passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, stating, "This bill does not go nearly far enough to reform our broken budget".
March 29, 2024: Tuberville accuses Democratic Party of being a "Satanic cult"
On March 29, 2024, Tommy 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. This comment was made amidst backlash over Biden acknowledging International Transgender Day of Visibility.
June 2024: Tuberville calls Zelenskyy a 'dictator'
In June 2024, Tommy Tuberville referred to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a "dictator" and argued that Russian president Vladimir Putin "doesn't want Ukraine" but seeks to prevent U.S. weapons being stationed there.
November 12, 2024: Tuberville announces his candidacy for reelection
On November 12, 2024, Tommy Tuberville announced his candidacy for reelection for a second term in the 2026 elections.
January 2025: Tuberville says transgender children should "live in fear" of their parents
In January 2025, Tommy Tuberville stated that transgender children should "live in fear" of their parents, claiming parents were turning them trans, which he deemed "child abuse". LGBTQ Nation refuted these claims.
March 11, 2025: Committee on Veterans Affairs hearing
On March 11, 2025, at a Committee on Veterans Affairs hearing, Tommy Tuberville mentioned that private companies with proprietary technology had solicited him for contracts to operate at the VA, suggesting they would benefit the VA.
May 2025: Tuberville decides to run for governor of Alabama instead of reelection
In May 2025, Tommy Tuberville, who announced his candidacy for reelection on November 12, 2024, decided to run for governor of Alabama instead.
May 27, 2025: Announced Run for Governor
On May 27, 2025, Tommy Tuberville announced he would run for governor of Alabama in 2026 instead of seeking a second Senate term.
2025: Tuberville praises Trump's proposal to have the U.S. take over Gaza Strip
In 2025, Tommy Tuberville praised Donald Trump's proposal to have the U.S. take over the Gaza Strip, calling it "a good idea".
2025: Recruiting Claims
In 2025, Tommy Tuberville said he recruited Patrick Mahomes, who played at Texas Tech from 2014 to 2016. Mahomes refuted that he recruited him.
2026: Run for Governor
In 2026, Tommy Tuberville plans to run for governor of Alabama.
2026: Future Election Year
In 2026, Tommy Tuberville was slated to run for reelection for a second term, however he later decided to run for governor of Alabama instead.
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