Derek Dooley, son of Georgia legend Vince Dooley, launches U.S. Senate bid

For Georgia Bulldog fans and all people who live in the state of Georgia, the Dooley name carries weight, tradition, and a legacy etched into Sanford Stadium and Peach State lore. That legacy took a surprising turn this week, as Derek Dooley, son of legendary Georgia head coach and athletic director Vince Dooley, announced his candidacy for the United States Senate in Georgia.

Professional politicians always put themselves first.

It’s time to put Georgia First. That’s why I’m running for Senate. pic.twitter.com/og7TdsPbQ9

— Derek Dooley (@DerekDooleyGA) August 4, 2025

While the headlines center on politics, for Dawg Nation, this story runs much deeper than party lines. Derek Dooley’s roots are in Athens. He grew up on the sidelines of Sanford Stadium, immersed in the program his father helped build into a national powerhouse. Vince Dooley led the Bulldogs from 1964 to 1988, capturing six SEC titles and the 1980 national championship, all while also serving as athletic director for over two decades. His name is immortalized at Dooley Field, but it’s his character and influence that left the most significant imprint on Georgia football and his family.

Derek carried that legacy forward in his way. Though he played his college ball at the University of Virginia, he returned to Athens to earn his law degree from the University of Georgia. After briefly practicing law, football called him back. His coaching career spanned multiple stops, including stints under Nick Saban at LSU and with the Miami Dolphins. He became head coach at Louisiana Tech and then at Tennessee, and later served as an assistant with Missouri and the Dallas Cowboys. Most recently, he was an analyst at Alabama, continuing a football journey that’s been shaped as much by his upbringing in Athens as by his time on the sideline.

Dooley’s candidacy marks a new chapter, but he’s quick to credit his father’s influence for shaping his outlook. “I watched my dad lead with integrity and purpose,” he said in a recent interview. “He cared about people and cared about Georgia. That’s what I want to carry forward.”

For many in the Bulldog community, Derek’s run for Senate isn’t just about politics; it’s about seeing a familiar face take a stand for something bigger. Whether you remember him walking the sidelines in Sanford Stadium as a boy or coaching against the Dawgs in orange and white, Derek Dooley’s name is deeply intertwined with Georgia football history.

And now, it looks like he’s aiming to take that legacy from the gridiron to the Capitol. Dooley will be running as a Republican against incumbent Democrat John Ossoff.