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Posted on 08/29/2026 9:08:36 PM PDT by Cronos
Growing up on a small farm in Missouri, five miles outside of a town of 350 people, Glenn Jacobs viewed sports as his way out. He became a WWE star, and then, Knox County mayor. After eight years of leading Tennessee’s third-largest county, Jacobs is reflecting on his time in office.
“My family didn’t really have a whole lot,” said Jacobs. “And if an unexpected expense came along, a car broke down, or something like that. Things get real tight. For my family, I always saw professional sports as my way out to a better life.”
The son of a veteran, farmer, and factory worker, Jacobs played basketball in high school and football in college.
“Hurt my knee playing football very badly,” said Jacobs. “That was the end of my football career and of my dreams of playing in the NFL.”
Instead, the WWE became his way out.
“Professional wrestling is still a team sport. You’re trying to put on the best show of the best product that you can for your audience and your consumer,” said Jacobs.
Being Kane paved the way for Mayor Jacobs.
“And the things that I took away from my experience in sports and in wrestling were teamwork. It’s leadership,” said Jacobs. “People gravitate to good leaders, and those are skills that some folks inherently have. But a lot of times it’s just you learn how to do that. It’s how you treat people. It’s putting the organization above yourself.”
During his first term, the COVID-19 pandemic brought Knoxville and the nation to a standstill, so Kane got back in the ring.
“I had a couple opportunities through WWE to get back in the ring and use that to support various charitable organizations,” said Jacobs.
The money went to support the families of first responders through the Knoxville Public Safety Fund, Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital, and TCAT.
“So it was really cool to, to go back and, you know, get back in the ring, have some fun, but also then be able to support some worthy cause,” said Jacobs.
His response to the pandemic would come to define his legacy in more ways than one.
“My message was encouraging people to listen to their doctors and follow guidance. But at the same time, the government is not there to micromanage your life,” said Jacobs.
It shaped the final months of his term.
“There are a lot of similarities between COVID and Flock. Both of them were presented to us as a binary choice, safety or freedom. And that’s not a choice at all. And that’s really a false choice,” said Jacobs. ” You can’t have safety without freedom, at least not in America. You have to have both.”
He credits voters for bringing Flock to his attention, and urged more Knox County residents to make their voices heard.
“When you don’t have that diversity of backgrounds, perspectives, ideas, you kind of get stuck in groupthink,” said Jacobs. “So, I think that’s really important for people who would be considered outsiders to get into government, to get into politics.”
He remains optimistic about what the future holds.
“Ultimately, the measure of a mayor is ‘did you leave your community in a better place than when you started?’ Overall, I feel that is what has happened here. Knox County was already the best place to live, work, and raise a family. I hope working together, we’ve made it even better than it was eight years ago,” said Jacobs. “Thank you for allowing me the privilege to be a small part of that. Until we meet again, be blessed.”
Jacobs listed not raising taxes, Operation Heroes Hill, the START Center, Schoolmania, and the downtown stadium project as some of his biggest accomplishments.
When asked about his political future, Jacobs said he would have to consider whether or not it would be the right decision for his family.
He added that running Knox County is a big job, and he would have to consider if he has the right skill set to run for statewide office and represent all 95 counties in Tennessee
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Or Senate ???
Yes. He would be a great senator
Yes. He would be a great senator.
I would prefer if he ran in Georgia or Virginia to oust the Democrat senators there
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