Jeremy Pruitt Paid Tennessee Football Player's Parent Cash In A Chick-Fil-A Bag

The rumors of former Tennessee head football coach Jeremy Pruitt paying a player's parent money via a fast-food bag have circulated for years. Now, we know exactly what happened. While most people were convinced he paid cash via a McDonald's bag, it was actually a Chick-fil-A bag.

You have to admit, a Chick-fil-A bag of cash is classier than a McDonald's bag of cash.

According to Tennessee's response to the NCAA's notice of allegations, Pruitt used a Chick-fil-A bag to pay the player's mother either $300 or $400.

In a March 7, 2022 interview, Pruitt admitted to giving her cash because "it was the human thing, the right thing to do." The cash inside the fast-food bag was "to assist with other expenses," but evidence suggests Pruitt had previously given her $3,000 to assist with medical bills so she could schedule a hip surgery.

Pruitt denied giving the player's mother the $3,000, but she provided bank records that showed a $5,100 deposit in January 2019.

Jeremy Pruitt did, in fact, pay a player's mother cash via a Chick-fil-A bag. (Getty Images)

The $300 to $400 was part of an alleged $12,707 of impermissible benefits allegedly given to the former Tennessee player and his family during his recruitment to Knoxville.

Earlier this year the NCAA alleged Tennessee and Pruitt committed 18 level-1 violations including him and his staff giving players, recruits, and families a total of $60,000.

Casey Pruitt, the former head coach's wife, was involved, paying $12,500 to a prospect’s mother for car payments, according to the NCAA's findings.

Pruitt went 16-19 in his three seasons as the head coach of the Volunteers which included a 3-7 record in 2020.