Volunteer fan’s animated jumbotron appearance goes viral after he skips work for Tennessee-Georgia game
Knoxville man says he called in sick to watch the Volunteers; employer learned he was at the stadium after his reactions were replayed and shared online
A lifelong Tennessee Volunteers fan became the subject of a viral meme after a stadium jumbotron repeatedly cut to his animated reactions during Saturday’s close game against the Georgia Bulldogs, and his employer discovered he had called in sick to attend.
Jeff Comeaux, a Knoxville native, drew attention during the late stages of the matchup as the camera kept panning to his face while the score remained tight. Georgia, the nation’s undefeated team, prevailed in overtime.
Video clips and screenshots of Comeaux’s expressions circulated widely on social media after the game. He said he did not know he had been featured until he checked his phone and found more than 200 text messages from friends and acquaintances. A fellow attendee recognized him while he was leaving the stadium and shouted, “That’s the guy!” which confirmed the online attention.
“Everyone was like, ‘Man, you are my soul, you are my spirit animal,’ ” Comeaux told WBIR. He said he received messages from fans of both Tennessee and Georgia. Some users edited photos of him to show him wearing a Georgia jersey; others paired an image of him staring ahead with captions mocking his apparent disappointment.
Comeaux said he had called in sick to work to attend the game, and the videos that spread online led his employer to discover the absence. “I got to a point where I was like, you know what, the best thing to do is I’m just gonna call in sick today. And I got Coldplayed,” he told WBIR, using the term to describe being caught.
The jumbotron’s repeated focus on Comeaux came during the final minutes when the contest was decided in overtime, drawing laughs from nearby spectators who noticed his visible emotional swings. At one point he stood with his arms crossed as the Volunteers fell behind.
Comeaux described a long history of following Tennessee football. He said he used to attend every major rivalry game until about 2002 and now goes when a friend has a spare ticket or when he feels he can afford to skip work. He cited the Volunteers’ 1998 overtime win against Florida, which completed a perfect season for Tennessee, as a memorable contest in his fan history.
The episode highlights how in-stadium cameras and social media can turn an ordinary spectator into an overnight sensation. Stadium screens commonly show fans during high-drama moments, and those images are frequently shared beyond the venue by attendees and online audiences.
Comeaux said the attention has been largely lighthearted and that he has fielded both ribbing and praise from fellow fans. He did not indicate any disciplinary consequences from his employer beyond being exposed as absent by the videos, and he said he would continue to try to attend games when he can.