Tennessee’s tight end room received great news for Christmas this year.

Redshirt-junior Jacob Warren confirmed he was returning for another season after graduating last May. Then, later in the day, Princeton Fant announced that he was taking advantage of the free year of eligibility and will return for one more season.

Warren or Fant were expected to return, but the news is still significant for the Vols as they look to build on Josh Heupel’s success in year one.

“Both of them are just beginning their journey as a player,” Heupel told the media last week. “Their physical development will be critical this offseason. That’ll be a big part of them continuing to take another jump in their play. They’ve done that already in the 11 months that we’ve been here.

“I think both of them have been playing their best football the middle-half of the season on. They’ve got a lot better understanding of how to execute and do the things that we need them to in the run game and the pass game and protections.”

For Fant, who had more of a decision to make than Warren, returning for a sixth-year is all about becoming the best football player and leader he can become.

“Just playing ball and harder blocking wise,” Fant said. “Just getting better at that and being a better leader to my team. Just being that big brother that the young guys can look up to.”

Warren on the other hand wants to add more weight in order to continue to become a tight end that checks all of the boxes.

“Keep getting better and keep getting stronger,” Warren said. “Being able to hold my own. I feel like I do a decent job with my technique, but having a little extra weight on me would help a lot with playing in the box more. Good weight obviously, still being able to run routes and catch the ball well. Just adding some good weight this offseason.

"I think I made a big jump, just in my confidence, my abilities and the way that I’m able to play on the field. I think I did a good job mentally this year, kind of taking in all the things that (the coaching staff) asks tight ends to do. Me and (Princeton Fant) both have made big strides there, being able to recognize a signal, get lined up and kind of help other guys if somebody’s lined up in the wrong area — being a leader and being a commander out there.”

Fant and Warren have a terrific working relationship. In a day and age where it seems like college football has become more about individual accolades than team accolades, Tennessee’s tight end duo are as selfless as they become.

“They don’t care who starts, they don’t care who gets the ball,” Heupel said. “If you watch one of them have success during a drive, they come off, the other guy’s the first guy to high-five them and tap them on the helmet. They truly help each other out and they’re great teammates and great leaders inside of our program.”

“We both really enjoying playing with each other,” Warren added. “It’s unique, the way that we operate here, because we truly split. Each series that we go in there, you’ll see one of us in there, and then the next time we’re out there, it’ll be the other one. I’m really grateful for him, because he’s been great throughout the whole thing, not trying to be selfish about any reps. If he’s out there and he scores a touchdown or something, if you watch, I’m literally the first one running down there to celebrate with him, because I know he’d do it for me. I’ve just been blessed and been lucky to have a guy like him alongside.”

Combined, the duo caught 31 passes for 328 yards and four touchdowns. Warren caught 18 passes for 179 yards and three touchdowns, respectively, while Fant caught 13 passes for 149 yards and a touchdown.

“That’s a brotherhood, honestly,” Fant said. “That’s my boy. We go to war together. We work hard together every day. He’s a special guy. He’s a smart player. We just go off of each other. He tells me what he sees out there when he’s out there and I tell him what I see when I’m out there. We work together and have helped bring the young guys in as well. That’s definitely my brother.”

Warren, Fant and the Vols have one more game in 2021 before turning the clock to 2022. They kick off with Purdue in the Music City Bowl on Thursday at 3 p.m. ET.

Then it’ll be all hands on deck to work towards a potential special 2022 season with the Vols’ tight end duo returning alongside Hendon Hooker and Cedric Tillman.

“Those two guys coming back will be a big part of us moving forward next year and excited to have those guys back,” Heupel said. “They represent what’s good inside of this program, too. They’re two great young people, on and off the field.”