VFL Linebacker Kevin Burnett Named To 2025 SEC Football Legends Class

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Tennessee VFL linebacker Kevin Burnett, who starred on the Volunteers from 2000-04, has been named to the 2025 Southeastern Conference Football Legends Class, the league workplace introduced Wednesday.

The 2025 SEC Football Legends class contains 16 former gamers who excelled on the gridiron and helped write the wealthy historical past of the game at their respective establishments.

The class can be honored on the 2025 SEC Football “Weekend of Champions” Dec. 5-6 in Atlanta, Ga., highlighted by the annual SEC Legends Celebration introduced by T-Mobile on Friday, Dec. 5 on the College Football Hall of Fame. The group may even be acknowledged previous to the SEC Football Championship Game, which can be held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 6.

Burnett was an inspirational chief and two-time group captain who helped information the Vols to back-to-back 10-win seasons, together with the 2004 SEC Eastern Division title and a dominant 38-7 win over Texas A&M within the 2005 Cotton Bowl.

In 2004, he earned first-team All-America and All-SEC honors, ending with 120 tackles and rating third within the SEC in tackles per recreation. Burnett additionally shined in 2003, incomes second-team All-SEC laurels and main Tennessee to the Peach Bowl after key wins over Florida and Alabama. He concluded his faculty profession with 274 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and eight sacks, and he was a 2004 semifinalist for each the Butkus and Bednarik Awards.

Burnett was chosen within the second spherical of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys. He performed 9 NFL seasons, together with 4 with the Cowboys (2005-08), two with San Diego (2009-10), two with Miami (2011-12) and one with Oakland (2013).

Off the sector, Burnett was a three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll member and earned each undergraduate and grasp’s levels from Tennessee.

2025 SEC Football Legends

Alabama – C.J. Mosley, Linebacker, 2010-13

Arkansas – Kenoy Kennedy, Safety, 1996-99

Auburn – Cam Newton, Quarterback, 2010

Florida – Brandon Spikes, Linebacker, 2006-09

Georgia – Randy Johnson, Offensive Guard, 1973-75

Kentucky – Jacob Tamme, Tight End, 2004-07

LSU – Tyrann Mathieu, Cornerback, 2010-11

Ole Miss – William “Bill” Smith, Punter, 1983-86

Mississippi State – Gabe Jackson, Offensive Guard, 2009-13

Missouri – Mitch Morse, Offensive Lineman, 2010-14

Oklahoma – Lucious Selmon, Nose Guard, 1970-73

South Carolina – Connor Shaw, Quarterback, 2010-13

Tennessee – Kevin Burnett, Linebacker, 2000-04

Texas – Derrick Johnson, Linebacker, 2001-04

Texas A&M – R.C. Slocum, Texas A&M, 1989-2002

Vanderbilt – Jordan Matthews, Vanderbilt, 2010-13

Tennessee All-Time SEC Football Legends

1994 – Bob Johnson

1995 – Doug Atkins

1996 – Condredge Holloway

1997 – John Michels

1998 – Richmond Flowers

1999 – Steve Kiner

2000 – Steve DeLong

2001 – Stanley Morgan

2002 – Johnny Majors

2003 – Reggie White

2004 – Frank Emanuel

2005 – Larry Seivers

2006 – Chip Kell

2007 – Willie Gault

2008 – Doug Dickey

2009 – Heath Shuler

2010 – Al Wilson

2011 – Bobby Majors

2012 – Peerless Price

2013 – Inky Johnson

2014 – Todd Kelly

2015 – Chuck Smith

2016 – Deon Grant

2017 – Chad Clifton

2018 – Phillip Fulmer

2019 – Darwin Walker

2020 – no Legends class (COVID-19 season)

2021 – no Legends class 

2022 – Peyton Manning

2023 – Joey Kent

2024 – Eric Berry 

2025 – Kevin Burnett