BELL BUCKLE, Tenn. – Last week, The Webb School decided to shut down its football program for the upcoming 2025 fall season, sources tell the Times-Gazette. This decision comes after a solid 2024 season where the Feet finished 6-5 (2-4) while seeing their season come to a close in the first round of the first round of the DII-AA playoffs against the University School of Jackson, 56-34. 

The decision sparked the transfer of Joel Wyatt, among other players. Wyatt, who has since transferred to Oakland High in Murfreesboro for his upcoming senior season, is currently ranked as the No. 4 athlete in the Class of 2026 according to Rivals and is heavily targeted by the University of Tennessee. 

The Webb School released a statement about the program’s cancellation to the Times-Gazette:

On July 16, The Webb School administration made the difficult decision to cancel the fall 2025 varsity football season due to a lack of participation and overall concern for the safety of returning athletes on the playing field. Webb, which joined the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association's (TSSAA) football league six years ago, graduated 10 seniors from the Class of 2025 in May. Since then, The Webb School's football program has also been significantly impacted by new TSSAA transfer rules, which went into effect in April. While we empathize with the student-athletes who will be unable to compete for the Webb Feet on the football field this season, their health and safety remain paramount in this decision.

The new Head of School, Dr. Polly Parker, is just the 14th-such appointment in the school’s greater than 150-year history. She also made history in becoming the first woman to assume the position, according to a Webb School press release from December, and she began her duties this summer. 

Surprisingly, despite Wyatt initially planning to return to the football team for his final year, Parker, along with other members of the administration, made the extremely difficult decision to cut the program entirely for at least 2025.