TJ Dottery’s Ole Miss squad is set to face Tulane in the first round of the playoffs this Saturday, with the stakes at an all-time high. Dottery, who began his collegiate career at Clemson, has since emerged as a standout talent and enters the matchup as an All-SEC fourth-team honoree for the Rebels. His rise, however, was built through years of consistent effort, unwavering support from his parents, and the strong cultural roots that helped shape him into the player and person he is today.

Who is TJ Dottery?

Ole Miss star linebacker TJ Dottery hails from Montgomery, Alabama. He was born on the 22nd of December 2003 and is the son of Antoine and Carmen Dottery. TJ started off his career at Montgomery Catholic High School, where he was the country’s 10th-best linebacker and the seventh-ranked prospect in the state of Alabama. Back in 2021, he led his team’s defense that gave up just 43 points in 14 games and reached the state semifinals, too.

Then he started his career with Clemson, appearing in four games in 2022, and then later moved to Ole Miss in 2023. But his real talent made an impact last season. He contributed 52 sacks and 120 tackles for loss, and both led the nation.

TJ Dottery continues to build momentum this season, earning a spot on the Butkus Award preseason watch list as he prepares for Ole Miss’s first-round playoff matchup against Tulane. With his focus firmly on the future, Dottery knows exactly what the Rebels must do to succeed.

“The key factor is their quarterback. That’s what gets them going, and being able to contain him because he is fast and he’s mobile outside of the pocket. So being able to contain him in the pocket and make him throw passes from the pocket.”

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Now, let’s know about his parents who backed his dreams.

Who are TJ Dottery’s parents & siblings?

TJ Dottery’s parents shaped his football career and made sure their son followed his dream. His father, Antoine, is a history teacher and football coach at Brewbaker Middle School in Montgomery. And that’s what helped him throughout these years. His father personally shaped him and motivated him from the start. Even Dottery doubles down on his efforts.

“He told me, ‘If you’re going to play a sport, you’re going to work at it,’” Dottery said. “But he also told me, ‘Never feel like you have to play. If you want to stop, we’ll stop.’ I think he wanted to relieve any pressure I felt about playing.”

Now, his mother, Carmen Dottery, is also a teacher and works in the office of technology services at Alabama State. Both of their efforts and guidance shaped the interest of a five-year-old who earned the nickname “Bull” in the Montgomery City League Pee Wee program into a star who’s shining at Ole Miss. Any information about his sibling is not publicly known and is not even mentioned on his athletic profile at Ole Miss.

With that, let’s dig deeper into his ethnicity and nationality.

What is TJ Dottery’s ethnicity & nationality?

As Dottery readies himself for one of the biggest games of his career, much of his journey traces back to the support system that helped shape him. A native of Montgomery, Alabama, Dottery plays college football at the University of Mississippi and is an American citizen. While details about his ethnicity are not publicly available, his upbringing and values have consistently stood out to those who coached him.

Though Dottery has kept his religious beliefs largely private, faith has played a meaningful role in his life. Kirk Johnson, his high school head coach, emphasized how Dottery carried those values both on and off the field.

“I tell them all the time, ‘When you get to the pearly gates of heaven, they’re not going to ask how many tackles you made,’” Johnson said. “Life is so much more than that. TJ was one of the kids who listened and applied it. Plus, he comes from a wonderful, faith-based family. I’m so grateful I had a chance to coach him.”

Now, with playoff football on the line, Dottery and Ole Miss prepare to take on Tulane—doing so without head coach Lane Kiffin on the sidelines. All eyes will be on how the Rebels respond when it matters most.