Jacob Tamme Named 2025 Kentucky’s SEC Football Legend
Former University of Kentucky football tight end Jacob Tamme has been named to the 2025 Southeastern Conference Football Legends class presented by T-Mobile, the league office announced Wednesday.
Tamme, a native of Danville, Kentucky, was a standout tight end for the Wildcats, earning All-America as a senior and first-team All-SEC as a junior and senior. He finished his college career with 133 receptions, 1,417 yards, and 11 touchdowns—finishing his career ranked first in UK history and second in SEC history for catches by a tight end.
Tamme helped lead Kentucky to Music City Bowl wins over Clemson and Florida State, plus regular-season victories vs. No. 1 LSU and No. 9 Louisville. He received team honors as UK’s Most Inspirational Player and the Jerry Claiborne Award for academics and team attitude.
Tamme also earned numerous academic, leadership and service awards, including:
- Bobby Bowden Award, from the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, a national honor recognizing overall excellence in academics, community service, football and serving as a faith model for his teammates and community
- First-team Academic All-America
- National Scholar-Athlete Award from the National Football Foundation
- SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year
- National Good Works Team for community service
- SEC Community Service Team
- Frank G. Ham Society of Character by UK Athletics
- Three-year SEC Academic Honor Roll
- Graduated from UK with a degree in integrated strategic communications and also completed a master’s in business administration
- Elected to the UK Athletics Hall of Fame
Tamme played nine NFL seasons (2008–2016), appearing in the Super Bowl with Indianapolis, Denver and Atlanta. Off the field, he co-founded the “Swings for Soldiers Classic,” supporting injured veterans, runs Tamme Valley Farm, and works in wealth management. He also serves on the Board of Governors for Champions Blue, the new management model for UK Athletics.
Tamme is part of the 2025 Football Legends class that includes 16 former stars who excelled on the gridiron and helped write the rich history of the sport at their respective institutions. This year’s class includes a Heisman Trophy winner, national champions, All-Americans, All-SEC selections, Academic All-Americans and NFL standouts. The group represents teams that won SEC Championships, claimed Super Bowl titles and are represented in state, school and college football halls of fame.
The class will be honored at the 2025 SEC Football “Weekend of Champions” December 5-6 in Atlanta, highlighted by the annual SEC Legends Celebration presented by T-Mobile on Friday, December 5 at the College Football Hall of Fame. The group will also be recognized prior to the SEC Football Championship Game, which will be held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday, December 6.
