Tennessee football linebacker Arion Carter made his first tackle against Alabama on the Crimson Tide's second drive of the first quarter on Oct. 17.
Carter will donate $427 for each tackle he makes this season, $500 for each sack, $1,000 for each interception or forced fumble and $5,000 for each defensive touchdown he scores.
The dollar amount for each tackle is a poke at the NCAA, which suspended Carter for one game after he accepted a $427 flight to an NFL pre-draft training facility. Carter repaid it, but the NCAA still declared it an impermissible benefit, although they lessening the suspension from two games to one.
The cause is particulalry meaningful to Carter because his girlfriend, Mariah Bryant, was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer in February. Carter also cut his hair to match her as she undergoes chemotherapy treatments.
Here's how much Carter would donate to cancer research if the season ended today and how much he's on pace to donate.
How much will Arion Carter donate to cancer research?
Total donations through Week 7: $17,153
Season pace: $31,447.17
Arion Carter stats for 2026 season
Totals: 39 tackles, 1 sack, 2 tackles for loss
Sept. 12 at Georgia Tech: 8 tackles ($3,416)
Sept. 19 vs. Kennesaw State: 8 tackles, 1 sack ($3,916)
Sept. 26 vs. Texas: 11 tackles, 0.5 TFL ($4,697)
Oct. 3 vs. Auburn: 6 tackles, 1.5 TFL ($2,562)
Oct. 10 at Arkansas: 5 tackles ($2,135)
Oct. 17 vs. Alabama: 1 tackle ($427)
Emmett Siegel covers Tennessee baseball for Knox News. Email: emmett.siegel@knoxnews.com; X: @EmmettSiegel_
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Arion Carter donations to cancer research for Tennessee football after Alabama