22 celebrities weâve spotted at Alabama football games
Alabama is a global brand, so it’s no wonder the stars come out for the Crimson Tide on gameday — and not just when ESPN’s pregame show visits Tuscaloosa.
For this list, we’re leaving out former Tide standouts who’ve enjoyed stellar NFL careers — because there isn’t enough bandwidth to name them all.
But we’ve spotted movie stars, cable news hosts, superstar athletes and even one U.S. president. So you know it’s an event whenever Nick and his Alabama team hit the field.
Here are a handful of celebrities we’ve spotted at Bama games, at home and on the road.
READ: Alabama and Auburn’s celebrity football fans: The biggest stars who root for the Tide or Tigers
Lucas Black (LSU 2014)
The “NCIS: New Orleans” and “Sling Blade” star from Decatur waved a Bama flag from the sideline during the Tide’s game against LSU in Baton Rouge back in 2014. And they needed all the support they could get, eking out an overtime win behind quarterback Blake Sims.
Hannah Brown (Duke 2019, others)
The Bachelorette herself and the “Dancing with the Stars” champ from Tuscaloosa often takes in a Crimson Tide game during any given season, including a couple in 2023. But we spotted Brown and “Bachelor” franchise pal Demi Burnett enjoying Bama’s win over Duke to kick off the 2019 season. Brown told AL.com about her old gameday routine as a student at UA.
Eric Church (Ole Miss 2015)
The country superstar served as celebrity guest picker on ESPN’s “College GameDay” ahead of Alabama-Ole Miss in 2015, and we’d later see him on the sideline when the Rebels shocked the Tide. (But Bama would go on to win the national title that season, so don’t sweat it.)
Kaitlan Collins (LSU 2023)
The CNN anchor really loves the Tide. A graduate of the University of Alabama, Collins never shies away from talking about her beloved Bama football team either on her own network or other shows like “Late Night with Seth Meyers.” Collins told the NBC she would catch the Alabama-LSU game during the 2023 season, and that she did.
READ: Kaitlan Collins, a die-hard Alabama football fan, has perfected her gameday routine
Ric Flair (Georgia 2018)
The stars were out for Alabama’s College Football Playoff final matchup with SEC foe Georgia. With his then-future stepson and pro wrestling podcast legend Conrad Thompson, the sports entertainment icon watched from the front row of an end zone inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium. And they would witness history, with Tua Tagovailoa finding DeVonta Smith for a walk-off touchdown bomb that ended the game and handed the Tide yet another trophy.
Stephen Fry (Auburn 2007)
For the six-part documentary series in 2008 called “Stephen Fry in America” wherein the famed British comedian traveled to all 50 states, Fry took in the 2007 Iron Bowl in Auburn, when the Tigers defeated the Tide in Nick Saban’s first season as Alabama head coach. Read more in CBS 42′s exclusive interview with Fry about his trip down to the American South.
Walker Hayes (Texas 2023)
The “Fancy Like” singer and Alabama native showed up for the Crimson Tide’s season opener in 2023, hitting the sideline pregame before Bama took on Middle Tennessee State.
Derek Jeter (LSU 2013)
The New York Yankee legend hit the sideline during warmups ahead of Alabama’s home game against LSU. The Tide dominated the Tigers 38-17. Hope that pleased the captain.
Phil Knight (LSU 2013)
The Nike chairman and Oregon reportedly sported some Crimson Tide gear during the Alabama-LSU game in 2013, adding to the list of stars in attendance for one of the greatest rivalries in college football.
Eva Longoria (Arkansas State 2008)
Somehow, the stars were out for Alabama-Arkansas State in 2008, with the “Desperate Housewives” actress wearing a crimson jersey and joining her friend and country music star Sara Evans (formerly married to ex-Alabama football player Jay Barker) for the game inside Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Peyton Manning (Tennessee 2015)
Alabama fans love resharing the image of a disappointed Peyton Manning after Bama completed a fourth quarter comeback against his Vols in Bryant-Denny Stadium during the 2015 season, when the Tide would win a national title behind Heisman-winner Derrick Henry.
Matthew McConaughey (Texas 2023)
Famously a fan of the Longhorns, the Oscar-winning actor and well-known Texan visited Tuscaloosa to watch his beloved football team beat the Crimson Tide inside Bryant-Denny Stadium during the second game of the 2023 college football season. Donning a cowboy hat, white button-down shirt and jeans, McConaughey looked the part of a Longhorn-lover and even joined Pat McAfee’s ESPN broadcast during stretches of the action. (Also spotted that night: “Top Gun: Maverick” star Glen Powell, another Texas fan.)
Shaquille O’Neal (LSU 2022)
You simply cannot miss Shaq when he stands on a sideline, or anywhere. The NBA Hall of Famer and Charles Barkley’s TNT colleague took in a Tiger overtime win over Alabama during the 2022 season, witnessing the Tide’s second loss of the season as thousands of fellow fans of his alma mater stormed the field.
Terrell Owens (Georgia 2018, Clemson, 2019)
An Alabama native and one of the NFL’s greatest wide receivers, Owens has turned up for the Tide on a few occasions, especially when everything is on the line in national title games.
Kid Rock (LSU 2023)
Bawitdabama? The Michigan-born rap-rocker drew big cheers when he appeared on the Bryant-Denny Stadium jumbotron after the stadium played his hit single “All Summer Long” during the Alabama-LSU game in Tuscaloosa. Donning a cowboy hat and shades while standing on the sideline, he even appeared to mouth “Roll Tide” into the camera.
Alex Rodriguez (Texas A&M, 2014)
AL.com spotted the former New York Yankees star milling around University Boulevard before the Tide kicked off against Texas A&M in Tuscaloosa back in 2014. Bama dominated the Aggies 59-0.
Shepard Smith (Ole Miss 2014)
The former Fox News anchor attended Ole Miss and supported the Rebels as they faced (and upset) the Crimson Tide in Oxford. Bo Wallace led the way, with Bama QB Blake Sims throwing a late interception to help seal the win, as Ole Miss fans stormed the field. Smith even wore a “Beat Bama” T-shirt.
Justin Thomas (Middle Tennessee State 2023)
The PGA golfer and former Crimson Tide athlete seems to catch a game every season, even appearing as celebrity guest picker during ESPN’s “College GameDay” before Alabama-LSU in 2019. But his most recent appearance came ahead of kickoff when Bama faced Middle Tennessee State in the 2023 opener in Tuscaloosa.
Donald Trump (Georgia 2018, LSU 2019)
The former president attended two Alabama games, once appearing on the field during the national anthem before Alabama and Georgia kicked off in the College Football Playoff final in January 2019 when Tua Tagovailoa found DeVonta Smith for a walk-off win in overtime. Trump then showed up in Tuscaloosa for another “Game of the Century” between Alabama and LSU inside Bryant-Denny Stadium, sitting in a box along with former First Lady Melania Trump.
Vince Vaughn (LSU 2018)
The “Wedding Crashers” star roamed the sideline as Tua Tagovailoa and Bama’s electric offense handed Joe Burrow and Ed Orgeron a 29-0 drubbing inside Tiger Stadium. Not since he played halfback Jamie O’Hara in “Rudy” had Vaughn seen such a display of heart on the gridiron.
Deontay Wilder (LSU, 2023)
In one of the coolest sightings yet, the former WBC heavyweight boxing champion known as The Bronze Bomber appeared in the south end zone during a tumbling display from the acrobatic Crimson Tide cheerleaders. Crouching with four cheerleaders as another soared over them, the Tuscaloosa native was the centerpiece of an array of flips that drew cheers from more than 100,000 in Bryant-Denny Stadium as Bama put away the Bayou Bengals during the second half.