Jay Graham, the former University of Tennessee and NFL running back who was serving as head football coach at Centennial High School in Franklin, Tennessee, was arrested on October 15, 2025 in a Metro Nashville prostitution sting and charged with two felonies after allegedly agreeing to pay an undercover officer posing as a 16-year-old for sex.1WSMV. Former UT Football Player, Williamson County Football Coach Arrested in Nashville Prostitution Sting He was 50 at the time, was fired by Williamson County Schools within a day, and his two General Sessions cases in Davidson County later closed in May 2026 with no conviction, sentence, or fine recorded.2Nashville Davidson County Criminal Court. Criminal History – Herman Graham
What Police Say Happened
Detectives from the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department’s Specialized Investigations Division, working with the Special Victims Division and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, placed ads on adult escort websites and had undercover officers pose as minors to engage men who responded.3Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. High School Football Coach and Two Other Men Charged With Felonies After Being Arrested in Prostitution Sting
According to police, Graham responded to one of the ads and exchanged text messages with an undercover officer who said she was a 16-year-old girl. He allegedly agreed to pay $120 for sex, drove to a Nashville hotel room, handed the cash to the officer, and was taken into custody.3Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. High School Football Coach and Two Other Men Charged With Felonies After Being Arrested in Prostitution Sting His bond was set at $45,000.4Yahoo Sports. Ex-NFL Player Jay Graham Arrested in Prostitution Sting Two other men were arrested in the same operation, but each responded to separate ads and communicated individually with undercover officers.1WSMV. Former UT Football Player, Williamson County Football Coach Arrested in Nashville Prostitution Sting
The Charges
Graham was charged with patronizing prostitution with a minor and solicitation of a minor for aggravated statutory rape.5WKRN. MNPD: Centennial High School Football Coach, 2 Others Arrested in Prostitution Sting Under Tennessee law, patronizing prostitution involving a victim aged 15 to 17 is a Class B felony that carries 8 to 30 years in prison and fines up to $25,000.6Shared Hope International. Tennessee State Report Card – Section: Criminal Provisions for Demand
Where the Case Stands
Davidson County court records show that both of Graham’s General Sessions cases, one for patronizing prostitution with a minor and one for solicitation of a minor, had a final court appearance on May 15, 2026 before Judge Aaron Holt. As of late June 2026, both cases are listed with a status of “CLOSED-BO,” and no conviction, sentencing, or financial penalty is recorded. Attorney Ryan Davis of Ryan C. Davis Law in Nashville represented Graham in both matters.2Nashville Davidson County Criminal Court. Criminal History – Herman Graham
The file does not state the reason for the closure or whether charges were refiled in Criminal Court. One co-defendant’s General Sessions charges were closed after being consolidated into a Criminal Court case that remained open into mid-2026; the other co-defendant’s case resolved with a deferred judgment and probation.7Nashville Davidson County Criminal Court. Criminal History – Aaron Barnack8Nashville Davidson County Criminal Court. Criminal History – Anthony Proctor
Firing from Centennial High School
Graham had been hired by Centennial as a coach and substitute teacher in March 2025, then brought on as a full teacher in late July. He was in his first season as head football coach when he was arrested. The day after the arrest, Williamson County Schools fired him from the coaching staff, suspended him without pay from his teaching job, and banned him from campus. The district said a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation background check processed on February 28, 2025 had shown no criminal history.5WKRN. MNPD: Centennial High School Football Coach, 2 Others Arrested in Prostitution Sting Counselors were made available to students, and the football team met the next morning.9WSMV. Centennial High School Coach Fired After Allegedly Soliciting Minor in Undercover Operation
Assistant coach Taylor Burks took over as interim head coach and led Centennial to a 7-6 record and the Class 5A state semifinals.10The Tennessean. TSSAA Football: Chad Broadrick Hired at Centennial On January 7, 2026, the district hired Chad Broadrick, previously defensive coordinator at Pope John Paul II, as the permanent head coach.11Main Street Media. JPII Defensive Coordinator Chad Broadrick Takes Over at Centennial
Who Jay Graham Is
Graham played running back at the University of Tennessee from 1993 to 1996, rushing for 2,609 yards and 25 touchdowns and earning second-team All-SEC honors in 1995 and 1996. His 1,438-yard 1995 season was the second-highest single-season rushing total in program history at the time.12UT Sports. Jay Graham – Coaching Bio The Baltimore Ravens drafted him in the third round in 1997 with the 64th overall pick.13Baltimore Ravens. Every Ravens Draft Pick in Team History Over 36 NFL games with Baltimore, Seattle, and Green Bay, he rushed for 454 yards and two touchdowns on 129 carries.14NFL. Jay Graham Career Stats
He moved into coaching as a Tennessee graduate assistant in 2005 and spent the next two decades as a running backs coach, including stops at South Carolina, Tennessee, Florida State, Texas A&M, Alabama, and East Tennessee State. At Florida State from 2013 to 2017, he was on the staff of the 14-0 BCS national championship team and coached future NFL backs Dalvin Cook, Cam Akers, and Devonta Freeman.15UT Sports. Jay Graham – Coaching Bio
In January 2019, while at Texas A&M, Graham and head coach Jimbo Fisher were found to have met with a high school prospect outside the permissible contact period. The NCAA Committee on Infractions issued Graham a six-month show-cause penalty running through December 2020, restricting his off-campus recruiting, and noted he had no prior history of major rules infractions.16Knoxville News Sentinel. Tennessee Football: Jay Graham, Texas A&M NCAA Violations, Recruiting Show-Cause His last college job before Centennial was as running backs coach and special teams coordinator at East Tennessee State, where he was still listed on the staff in February 2025.17ETSU Bucs. Football: Healy Announces Complete Coaching Staff