Siblings take to the field and the sideline as player-cheerleader duo

Growing up in Vestavia Hills, Ala., Chris and Tiffany Underwood were taught that hard work and perseverance would help you make history.

Today, Chris and Tiffany used those values to become the first ever siblings to play football and cheer for The University of Alabama.

Crimson and white run through Chris and Tiffany’s blood. Their dad Macaroy, their older brother Derick, and other family members and friends all attended the University.

Despite being three years apart, Tiffany and Chris said they were very close, and unlike many older brothers, Chris was not overly protective.

“I never had a problem with her,” Chris said. “She’s a good person with a good head on her shoulders so I’ve never really had anything to worry about.”

“We are very, very close,” Tiffany said. “He’s not crazy over protective, but he does look out for me. Whenever I need advice on anything, I look to him and he’s always there to provide it for me.”

Chris plays tight end for the Alabama football team. He graduated in August, but had a year of eligibility left. He is now in graduate school studying business. He said playing at the University was the number one goal for him coming out of high school.

“I always wanted to play for Alabama,” he said. “I grew up watching them play in Birmingham at Legion Field. It’s a dream come true.”

Tiffany is an honor student who divides her time between studying, cheering and being involved in her sorority, Delta Sigma Theta. She cheers for the all-girl cheerleading squad, which cheers for home football games, gymnastics, women’s basketball, and volleyball.

“I’m very busy, but I put school work first,” she said. “I’m in college to get an education, so I make sure I get that done. Managing all of the other stuff is hard, but I manage. I love all of it.”

2009 was also a very special year for the Underwood siblings. Chris, then a sophomore, was a valuable special teams player and a reserve tight end for the 2009 national championship team.

As a senior, Tiffany was the captain of Vestavia Hills cheerleading squad, which won its first cheerleading national championship.

“That was history because we had been going for 10 years and had never won first place,” she said. “So for me to be captain of that squad, it was really special.”

Both Chris and Tiffany point to their parents as the reason they work so hard. They said their dad pushes them to be the best and their mom supports them in everything they do.

“My mom and dad are very important to us,” Tiffany said. “Everything they taught us when we were younger, we still use today in our lives.”

After college, both Chris and Tiffany look to enter the professional world. Chris said he would love to play football professionally, while Tiffany plans to attend graduate school at UAB and study physical therapy.