Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
It’s hard to overstate how much senior linebacker Arion Carter means to the Tennessee Volunteers football program on the field.
The Smyrna, Tennessee native was a second-team All-SEC selection in 2025 and led the conference in tackles per game with 7.6 despite battling a foot injury. He totaled 76 tackles, six tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, two quarterback hurries, two pass breakups, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery across 10 games
Following the season, Carter considered entering the NFL Draft before eventually announcing his return to Rocky Top.
What most fans don’t know, however, is just how great of a human being Carter appears to be off the field.
Arion Carter Supports Girlfriend Through Cancer Fight
Carter went viral on social media on Sunday night for all the right reasons after Austin Price of VolQuest posted a video of him with his girlfriend, Mariah Bryant.
Bryant, 24, is an ICU trauma nurse in Nashville and currently fighting her own battle with stage two breast cancer. Due to ongoing treatments, she began to lose her hair and ultimately decided to shave it.
That’s where Carter comes in. In the video, he is seen helping Bryant shave her head before turning the clippers around and shaving his own long hair in solidarity.
Meet Mariah Bryant, a 24 year old BSN Trauma ICU Nurse in Nashville & the girlfriend of @ArionCarter. She is fully recovering from Stage 2 Breast Cancer with Chemo Treatments. Her hair started falling out so she had him cut off the rest & he surprised her by cutting his too. 🥹🥰 pic.twitter.com/28RhJSzDcT
— Austin Price (@AustinPriceless) June 15, 2026
A shocked Bryant then turns to Carter in amazement, seemingly both shocked and perhaps a little disappointed that Carter will no longer have his trademark long hair.
But the moment just goes to show that for as much of a leader Carter is for the Vols on the field, he’s clearly just as good of a human being off of it.