NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Sports are about more than just the final score, and the Tennessee Titans are proving that some of the biggest victories happen off the football field.
Through a new partnership with Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, the Titans are giving young patients an unforgettable NFL experience with their new Mini Majorette program.
At every Titans home game this season, one patient is selected to serve as the team’s honorary Monroe Carell Majorette, complete with a private meet-and-greet with Titans majorette Chloe Holladay and the cheerleaders, pregame sideline access and a special in-game recognition.
For Holladay, the opportunity to share the spotlight was an easy decision.
“It was an immediate yes for me. I was so excited,” Holladay said.
Holladay made NFL history last season when she became the Titans’ first-ever majorette and the league’s first since 2002. The former Alabama Crimsonette created and pitched the position herself, bringing baton twirling back to NFL sidelines after more than two decades.
Now, she’s using that platform to inspire the next generation.
Among the first young patients to participate in the program was 13-year-old Ily Davis, whose journey with Monroe Carell Children’s Hospital began a decade ago.
When Davis was just 3 years old, she suffered a traumatic brain injury. Earlier this year, she returned to the hospital while battling ulcerative colitis.
“When I was three years old and I had my traumatic brain injury, they saved my life for the first time,” Davis said. “And then, earlier this year, after I turned 13, a decade later, they saved my life again with ulcerative colitis.”
A competitive figure skater, Davis has faced a challenging year that has kept her away from the sport she loves.
But for one Sunday, she traded hospital visits for the NFL sidelines.
Davis met Holladay, learned a few baton-twirling tricks and spent time with the Titans cheerleaders and mascot T-Rac. She also received a special welcome during the game, getting to see herself on the stadium’s video board.
Tennessee Titans Majorette, Chloe Holladay, with the Mini Majorette of the game before the...
Tennessee Titans Majorette, Chloe Holladay, with the Mini Majorette of the game before the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Philadelphia Eagles at Nissan Stadium on September 20, 2026 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Kaitlyn Hungerford/Tennessee Titans(Kaitlyn Hungerford | Kaitlyn Hungerford/Tennessee Titans)
“It was just the highlight of my year, seeing that the good come from the bad in the hospital stay,” Davis said.
For hospital leaders, those moments can have an impact that extends well beyond game day.
Jamie Phillips, president of Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, said the partnership gives patients and their families an opportunity to step away from the challenges of medical treatment and enjoy time together.
“Being able just to step away from it for just a moment, even if it’s a three-hour football game, it just helps the wellness and mental well-being for the entire family,” Phillips said.
And while Holladay may be the one teaching the girls how to twirl, she says the experience has been just as meaningful for her.
“I never take this position for granted,” Holladay said. “And I always say with the Titans, like, I’m a part of something so much bigger than myself.”
The Titans will continue recognizing a new Mini Majorette at every home game throughout the season.
The initiative is another example of the organization’s community outreach as the Titans host the Houston Texans for their Crucial Catch game on Sunday, Oct. 11.
For the young patients and their families, the experience is a reminder that sometimes the biggest wins on Sunday don’t show up on the scoreboard.