When the transfer portal opened for business on January 2, the Gators had 30+ players enter the portal. But after the initial rush of players to announce their intentions to leave, it looked like everyone else who had yet to hit the portal would be coming back for 2026.
As the Gators have gone out and grabbed a new slew of players from the portal, some position groups have gotten crowded in a hurry, and one starter from 2025 might be seeing the writing on the wall as he has opted to jump into the portal just before it closes.
Tony Livingston is off to the transfer portal
Tony Livingston took to social media to announce that he would be entering the transfer portal. He joins fellow tight end starter from 2025, Hayden Hansen, in the portal. Hansen has since signed with Oklahoma.
God’s timing🧎🏾#llma🕊️ pic.twitter.com/B7gsn4c3IH
— Tony Livingston (@Tonylivingston_) January 11, 2026
Livingston’s path to Gainesville was a bit winding as he was initially recruited to be an offensive tackle and signed with the Gators in December of 2021, but he didn’t actually make it on the roster until January of 2023. Once on the roster, he saw 87 special teams snaps in 2023 before getting 200+ offensive snaps in both 2024 and 2025. He was seen as a more physical blocker compared to Hansen and was usually good for one catch a game. He did have a notable drop in the loss to USF this year, but he also had a touchdown against FSU to close out the season.
Florida’s tight end room has seen plenty of movement this offseason. Hansen, as mentioned transfered, and Amir Jackson was also going to transfer at one point, but he instead opted to come back. The Gators have also landed Georgia Tech tight end Luke Harpring and James Madison tight end Lacotta Dippre out of the transfer portal, leading to a crowded room that offered Livingston zero guarantees.
Livingston was listed as a junior in 2025, and he will have one year of eligibility remaining.