KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Most of the people walking through the halls of the East Tennessee Children's Hospital wear long white coats or scrubs. It's not often that three football players are seen entering patients' rooms.
Maurese Smith, Latrell Bumphus and Chase McGrath all visited the hospital wearing the team's iconic colors. Tennessee Football posted the visit on social media Friday and showed them meeting with patients in their beds.
The players brought treats with them to hand out to children — boxes of Girl Scout cookies. They also brought gifts like Tennessee-branded pillowcases, signed shirts and more. During the visit, they also tossed a small football around with recovering patients, brightening up their stay there.
"Can't thank our friends with Tennessee Football enough for their visit and gifts," the hospital said on social media. "They always make the day of our young patients."
Bumphus is a redshirt senior defensive lineman who has played 42 games with 14 starts. He was originally recruited as a tight end and moved after the 2018 season. He is also working his way back from a season-ending knee injury in November 2020.
McGrath is also a redshirt senior who plays as a kicker who connected 43 of 56 field goals during his career, including a career-long goal of 52 yards.
Smith is a redshirt freshman defensive lineman.