When Austin Ware started playing drums at age 11, he never imagined that music could be more than a hobby or something he did at church. Ware then gained about 1,000 followers on Instagram by posting drumming videos, which, at the time, he thought was big business, and when TikTok came along, he decided to stick with it. Fast forward to today, and Ware (using an identifier that literally designates him as the drummer on TikTok) has 11 million followers on the app. In addition, he recently reached a million subscribers on Youtube. He even brought his skills to Nissan Stadium to perform on the Titans’ field during halftime of a game against Houston in December 2019.
Ware is known for getting dirty in his drum videos, particularly using paint on his drums to create captivating visuals for his fans. He often uses certain paint colors to fulfill fan requests, such as using yellow paint in response to a request about childhood cancer, or neon colors and a projected logo to honor a gaming YouTuber who died.
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Sports Illustrated: Guide us through your journey to becoming a Titans fan.
Austin Ware: Yes, more or less born. We had season tickets when I was a kid, so I grew up going to the games. All my education was in Nashville.
SI: You wake up the morning of a Titans game: What’s the first thing you do to get excited?
AW: I’d say like turning on the like before the game, whether it’s on TV or on the radio on the way to the game. Just turn it on, like the free talks and the preview show like what’s to be expected, you know, kind of a typical preview of who’s playing and all that.
SI: What do you usually use to clock? Is it a piece of equipment or something else?
AW: I have an old school, like classic Steve McNair jersey that I’ll rep if I go to a game or something. And then if I’m home, I might put on a t-shirt or something, if I’m around as more than immediate family. So yeah, nothing too wild.
Steve and George McNair’s jersey numbers were retired by the Titans in September 2019, just a few months before Ware performed at halftime.
George Walker IV/Tennessean.com, Nashville Tennessee
YES: Did you get cool team clothes or special gear when you performed at halftime?
AW: Yeah, I have some great merch. I would probably call it the Titans starter kit. Yeah, nothing too vintage or anything, but yeah, they definitely provided some great gear.
SI: I know you’ve partnered with the NFL several times, for their campaign last year, and then this year doing some Thursday night football stuff. Do you have a favorite football team from that? Is it all titan stuff?
AW: That was really cool, for Thursday night football they had some custom embroidery like bomber jackets that they distributed to us. Again, it’s more like a game day starter kit, like a wireless charging pack for your phone, because we’re all on our phones almost as much as we’re watching the game.
SI: Have you ever accidentally ruined any Titans gear in your videos?
AW: I usually use things that I know are going to be painted over. But I end up washing those clothes and hoping my washing machine doesn’t break. I have mastered a technique that works almost every time.
SI: What is your favorite snack to have when you sit down to watch a game? What about your favorite drink?
AW: I’d probably say snack would be pretzels and hummus, and drink would probably be ginger beer.
SI: Are you watching at home or are you heading to a bar to watch with other fans?
AW: Honestly, today’s go-to is probably at home. You know this because most of the time it is more comfortable. But if I go to the game, if they’ve invited me, they’re very nice and they have little boxes or whatever they let us use.
SI: Do you have any wheel tracking essentials to take with you, or are most of them ready when you get there?
AW: Oops, I’m a little lame again… I might throw in some football or cornhole if someone else already has it installed, but as far as bringing things in, I probably won’t be the one to turn on the tailgate. .
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SI: Who are you normally? watching a game with?
AW: If I’m home, it would be with my immediate family, or it could be with my extended family, like my siblings and my parents who also live in Nashville. So we kind of have a big family outing, cookouts, all of that. Usually it’s more or less family, maybe a couple of closest friends, but yeah, that’s usually what you’re looking for.
SI: What is your best memory of watching the Titans play?
AW: This is probably what a lot of people would say, but I vividly remember that massive one-run miss when they were in the Super Bowl and Kevin Dyson was two yards away from getting the last touchdown. I think it was to win it. I remember liking it very clearly and it was like, it was sad, but it was also like this massive moment of just ‘oh my gosh’. So I probably don’t know why.
SI: Is that also your favorite memory? The most emotional?
AW: I think that was the clearest memory of being a kid watching the games. As for the favorite memory, it’s probably hard. I think it was like going to the games as a kid with my dad and brother, and it was really cold and you were dressed in layers and trying to stay in the game.
SI: What was it like playing at halftime for you, after all those years of going to the games?
AW: It was great. It was a bit crude, a bit improvised. I think I had a kind of 30-minute informational essay with them. (There was also a super cool marching band.) And then they had a little highlight, I did my thing, and it was very surreal. Like growing up going to that stadium, and then literally being in the middle of that field and having my own 30 seconds of just me playing was really wild.
SI: What’s the craziest thing you’d do to guarantee your team won a Super Bowl?
AW: If they’d let me, I’d do some crazy stuff with paint on their course and hopefully get everyone excited.
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