How Heath Shuler's first job led to his son Navy giving back to the Knoxville community
Heath Shuler spent his summers in college at the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley.
It gave the former Tennessee quarterback and Heisman Trophy runner-up in 1993 more than just some extra spending money – it gave him a deep desire to help the community he lived in. He saw the impact it made and shared those lessons with his children, Island and Navy.
Now, 30 years later, Shuler’s son is playing the same position for his alma mater, wearing the same number and giving back to the same organization . Jerseys and shirzees with the No. 21 worn by Heath and now Navy are now being sold at Alumni Hall. All the proceeds of the sales will be donated to Boys & Girls Club of the Tennessee Valley.
“I told (Navy) the impact it had on my life and what it meant to me and how you can change kids’ lives,” Heath Shuler told Knox News on Monday. “It’s kind of keeping the tradition with the family. As a father you look at the things that are important and you want to see him perform extremely well on the field, but it’s the off the field ... that’s what makes us the most proud.”
Navy was born in Knoxville and lived here until he was 2½ years old. The Shuler family moved back to his native North Carolina, but Navy said Knoxville always felt like home to him.
HALL OF FAME: The 2022 Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame induction banquet
LANE KIFFIN: Why are coaches giving Lane Kiffin more preseason love than Josh Heupel's Tennessee Vols?
TENNESSEE FOOTBALL: Tennessee football narrowly misses spot in preseason USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll
A group of 13 elementary-aged kids from Boys & Girls Clubs were given the Shuler shirzees and Navy and Heath took turns signing the backs.
Navy Shuler transferred to UT from Appalachian State as a preferred walk-on in December. Shuler, a 6-foot, 190-pounder, was a three-star prospect in the 2020 class. In two seasons, he played one game and did not attempt a pass.
“The first time he told me, he said, ‘Dad, Coach (Josh) Heupel gave me 21.’ It was unbelievable, just to be able to say that,” Heath Shuler said. “First of all, it’s an odd number for a quarterback. But for him to say, ‘I really want to wear that jersey because my dad did,’ that’s what it’s all about.”
Heath Shuler got to coach Navy all the way through his time at Christ School in Asheville as a volunteer assistant and said by the time he graduated, he felt like his son knew the game better than he did. The two have become best friends.
“There’s not a day goes that by we don’t have a conversation,” Heath Shuler said. “You still have that father-son relationship but as he gets older, it really grows into friendship.”
Navy realized in middle school just how good his father was when the family got stopped every five feet at games for photos or autographs. Heath Shuler played at Tennessee from 1991-93, before being drafted No. 3 overall by the Washington Football Team in the 1994 NFL draft. He led his Bryson City hometown Swain County High to three straight 1A state championships.
“It’s very special, it’s what my younger self dreamed about growing up,” Navy Shuler said of playing at Tennessee. “I guess that’s why work hard every day to make my younger self proud but also my family, my coaches and teammates.”
Heath’s cousin Lamar Shuler was the first to play at Tennessee and then Heath, his brother Benjie and then West Shuler, who is Navy’s cousin and also a member of the UT roster.
“We think that’s the most of any one family to ever play at Tennessee,” Heath said. “It’s who we are, it’s what made us and if it wasn’t for my time here, I don’t know where I would be in life.”
Cora Hall: Covering UT women's athletics
Twitter | cora.hall@knoxnews.com
For exclusive sports content and premium perks, subscribe today!
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Heath and Navy Shuler supports Boys and Girls Clubs. Here's why
