Garth Brooks may have had friends in low places, but Joshua Dobbs, Jauan Jennings, and Jalen Reeves-Maybin have friends in high places.
Although these former Tennessee Volunteers are now playing for different NFL teams—Dobbs and Jennings with the San Francisco 49ers, and Reeves-Maybin with the Detroit Lions—they’re still living the NFL dream.
On Monday night in San Francisco, the three former teammates appeared together on the field at Levi’s Stadium during “Monday Night Football,” as the Lions defeated the 49ers in their pursuit of the NFC’s No. 1 seed.
With Brock Purdy injured late in the fourth quarter, San Francisco turned to backup quarterback Dobbs for the final 1:36 of the game. Dobbs quickly connected with his former Tennessee receiver, Jennings, for a 15-yard gain on the very first play.
Ironically, it was Reeves-Maybin, the third member of the trio, who made the tackle on that play—a true Tennessee trifecta.
Of the four passes Dobbs threw, three were aimed at Jennings, who finished the game with seven catches for 67 yards.
While the game lacked drama in the final minutes, especially after Dobbs entered, it still brought a wave of nostalgia for Vols fans, particularly since it was just a few years ago that Dobbs and Jennings connected for one of the most iconic plays in Tennessee football history. In 2016, Dobbs threw a 43-yard Hail Mary to Jennings in the end zone to defeat Georgia.
Dobbs, drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2017, has played for five NFL teams in his career. Meanwhile, Jennings has enjoyed a more stable NFL journey, spending his entire career with the 49ers since being drafted in the seventh round of 2020. Over four seasons, he has been a steady contributor, famously catching and throwing a touchdown in Super Bowl 58. In 2024, Jennings has thrived, stepping up with injuries increasing his role, hauling in 70 of 103 targets for 923 yards and six touchdowns.
Although Purdy will eventually reclaim his starting role, it was a special moment for Tennessee football, especially as both the Tennessee Titans and the Vols face an extended offseason.