University of Tennessee Athletics
Football
Abernathy, Patrick
Patrick Abernathy
- Title:
- Player Development
- Email:
- paberna1@utk.edu
updated summer 2021
Patrick Abernathy begins his eighth season with Tennessee football this fall. Abernathy is an integral part of the support for Tennessee’s football student-athletes focusing on academic support, community service involvement, Title IX awareness and drug education awareness. In addition to those responsibilities, some of his other shared duties include life skill and mentoring support for all members of the football team.
Abernathy is a graduate of Stratford High School in Nashville, Tennessee, where he lettered all four years in football, baseball and wrestling. He was a team captain on the football team and collected all-state and all-district honors. Abernathy was part of two undefeated seasons as a linebacker at Tennessee State University where he was coached by John Merritt and played alongside NFL Hall of Famer Richard Dent.
Abernathy’s career was cut short because of a knee injury, but he completed his degree in business administration with concentrations in science and math, and began a career in youth football.
Before joining Tennessee, Abernathy served as an assistant athletic director at Brentwood Academy.
He was a high school football assistant coach for 14 years at several schools in Tennessee, including Brentwood Academy, Brentwood High School and Ezell Hardin High School. He coached state championship teams at Ezell Harding and Brentwood Academy and also served in the Health and Physical Education Department at Brentwood Academy from 2009 to 2013.
Abernathy also led the UNA Bears youth football program to multiple national championships over a 15-year span and coached several players who went on to capture all-state honors and play football in college.
During his career as a high school and youth coach, Abernathy coached 36 student-athletes who played NCAA Division I football, including NFL stars Jalen Ramsey and VFL Derek Barnett.
He and his wife, Jasmine, have one son, Tyler, who is a sophomore on the football team.
Patrick Abernathy begins his eighth season with Tennessee football this fall. Abernathy is an integral part of the support for Tennessee’s football student-athletes focusing on academic support, community service involvement, Title IX awareness and drug education awareness. In addition to those responsibilities, some of his other shared duties include life skill and mentoring support for all members of the football team.
Abernathy is a graduate of Stratford High School in Nashville, Tennessee, where he lettered all four years in football, baseball and wrestling. He was a team captain on the football team and collected all-state and all-district honors. Abernathy was part of two undefeated seasons as a linebacker at Tennessee State University where he was coached by John Merritt and played alongside NFL Hall of Famer Richard Dent.
Abernathy’s career was cut short because of a knee injury, but he completed his degree in business administration with concentrations in science and math, and began a career in youth football.
Before joining Tennessee, Abernathy served as an assistant athletic director at Brentwood Academy.
He was a high school football assistant coach for 14 years at several schools in Tennessee, including Brentwood Academy, Brentwood High School and Ezell Hardin High School. He coached state championship teams at Ezell Harding and Brentwood Academy and also served in the Health and Physical Education Department at Brentwood Academy from 2009 to 2013.
Abernathy also led the UNA Bears youth football program to multiple national championships over a 15-year span and coached several players who went on to capture all-state honors and play football in college.
During his career as a high school and youth coach, Abernathy coached 36 student-athletes who played NCAA Division I football, including NFL stars Jalen Ramsey and VFL Derek Barnett.
He and his wife, Jasmine, have one son, Tyler, who is a sophomore on the football team.
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Sunday, September 28
FB | Josh Heupel Postgame Press Conference vs. Mississippi State (9.27.25)
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FB | Cinematic Recap vs. UAB (9.20.25)
Wednesday, September 24
FB | Braylon Staley Media Availability (9.23.25)
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