Ethan Davis injury: Tennessee starting TE out for 2026 season after ACL tear vs Georgia Tech

Tennessee starting tight end Ethan Davis is done for the year. Coach Josh Heupel confirmed on Monday that Davis tore his ACL in Week 2 and will miss the rest of the 2026 season.

The senior from Atlanta had scored in each of No. 15 Tennessee’s first two games. He limped off in the second half of Saturday’s 45-24 win at Georgia Tech and did not return. Heupel made the diagnosis official at his weekly press conference.

“Ethan Davis, ACL injury, will be gone for the remainder of the year,” Heupel said.

Strong start cut short

Ethan Davis already looked like a go-to piece for five-star freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon. He finished the first two weeks with three catches for 43 yards and two touchdowns, ranking as the Vols’ third-leading receiver when he went down.

He caught Tennessee’s first score of the season against Furman, then hauled in a 20-yard touchdown early against Georgia Tech to make it 7-0. The 6-foot-5, 247-pounder played 38 snaps in Atlanta before the knee gave out.

The timing is familiar and frustrating. Davis missed most of preseason camp with an ankle injury, then worked his way back for the opener. Over four seasons, he has 39 catches for 433 yards and six touchdowns in 26 games. Notably, he still has one year of eligibility left after this season.

Blow to Josh Heupel’s offense

Losing a reliable tight end hurts more than the box score shows. Ethan Davis blocked, ran routes, and gave Brandon a big, trusted target in the middle of the field. That absence lands just as the schedule tightens.

Tennessee (2-0) will host Kennesaw State on Saturday to close non-conference play. Then comes the real test: No. 1 Texas and Arch Manning at Neyland Stadium in Week 4.

Next man up at tight end

The remaining options start with sophomore DaSaahn Brame and South Alabama transfer Trent Thomas. Junior Cole Harrison (one career catch) and freshman Luca Wolf, a 2026 signee from Vienna, Austria, add depth.

Josh Heupel did not sugarcoat the situation.

“This game requires the next guy up,” he said. “You have heard me talk about that. Our team has heard that, too. You have to be prepared for when your opportunity arises. The next guy, multiple guys, have to step up in that role.

“I hate it for Ethan. The work he has put into it, the growth of the person and the player, that his season is cut short. The next guy has to be prepared and take advantage of the opportunity. You have seen a lot of those guys play already this year. They have to continue to grow and step into that role.”

Tennessee still has two weeks to settle the tight end room before Texas arrives. The message from Heupel is the same one he has preached all year: be ready when the chance comes.