How I Watch With ‘The TikTok Drummer’ Austin Ware

When Austin Ware first began playing drums at age 11, he never imagined music could be more than a hobby or something he did in church. Then, Ware gained about 1,000 followers on Instagram from posting drumming videos—which, at the time, he thought was a massive deal—and so when TikTok came around, he decided to stick with it. Fast forward to today, and Ware (using a handle that literally designates him as the drummer on TikTok) has 11 million followers on the app. Plus, he recently hit one million subscribers on YouTube. He even took 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 messy in his drumming videos, particularly by using paint on his drums to create captivating visual effects for his followers. He often uses certain paint colors to honor fans’ 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: Walk us through your journey to becoming a Titans fan.

Austin Ware: Yeah, pretty much born one. We had season tickets as a kid, so I grew up going to the games. All of my upbringing was in Nashville. 

SI: You wake up the morning of a Titans game: What’s the first thing you’re doing to get yourself pumped?

AW: I would say like turning on the like pregame whether it's on TV or on the radio on the way to the game. Just turn it on, like the free talks and pre show like what's expected, you know, kind of a typical preview of who's playing and whatnot.

SI: What are you usually wearing to watch? Is it a piece of team gear, or something else?

AW: I got an old school, like classic Steve McNair jersey that I'll rep if I'm going to a game or something like that. And then if I'm at home, I might throw on like a t-shirt or something, if I'm around like more than just immediate family. So yeah, nothing too wild.

SI: Did you get any cool team clothing or special gear when you performed for halftime?

AW: Yeah, I got some pretty cool merch. I would probably call that one like the Titans beginner start-up kit. Yeah, nothing too vintage or anything but yeah, they definitely provided some cool gear.

SI: I know you've like partnered with NFL a few times, for their campaign last year, and then this year doing some Thursday Night Football stuff. Do you have any favorite football gear from that? Is it all Titans stuff? 

AW: That was actually really cool, for Thursday Night Football they had some custom embroidered like bomber jackets that they distributed to us. Again, more of like a gameday start-up 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: Usually I'm wearing stuff that I know is gonna get painted over it. But I do end up washing that clothes and hoping my washing machine doesn't get ruined. I’ve mastered a technique that works almost every time.

SI: What’s your go-to snack to grab when you’re sitting down to watch a game? What about your go-to drink?

AW: I would probably say snack would be pretzels and hummus, and drink would probably be a ginger ale.

SI: Are you watching at home, or do you head to a bar to watch with other fans?

AW: Honestly, nowadays go-to is probably at home. You know just because most of the time it's more comfortable. But if I'm going to the game, if I've been invited they’re pretty courteous, and they have like the little boxes or whatnot that they allow us to use.

SI: Do you have any tailgating essentials you bring along with you, or is most of it ready when you get there?

AW: Gosh, I'm a little lame again... I might throw some football or corn hole if someone else already has it set up, but as far as me bringing stuff I'm probably not going to be the one turning on the tailgate.

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SI: Who are you usually watching a game with?

AW: If I’m at home, I would be with my immediate family, or it might be with my like more extended family, like my siblings and my parents also live in Nashville. So we kind of do a big family outing, cookout, whatnot. So usually it's pretty much family, maybe a couple closer friends but yeah, that's typically the go-to. 

SI: What’s your most distinct memory of watching the Titans play?

AW: This is probably what a lot of people would say, but I distinctly remember that massive fail of a run when they were the Super Bowl and Kevin Dyson was just like two yards short of getting that last touchdown. I think it was to win it. I remember that like super distinctly and it was like, it was sad, but it was also like just this massive moment of like, just ‘oh my gosh.’ So probably that I don't know why.

SI: Is that also your favorite memory? The most emotional?

AW: I think that was like the most distinct memory of like being a kid watching the games. As far as favorite memory goes, that's probably a tough one. I think just like going to the games as a kid with like my dad and brother, and like it's freezing cold and you’re all decked out in layers and trying to stay through the game.

SI: What was playing at halftime like for you, after all those years of going to games?

AW: It was cool. It was a little bit raw, a little unrehearsed. I think I had like one kind of 30-minute debrief rehearsal, with them. (There was a super cool marching band as well.) And then they kind of like had a little highlighted moment, I did my thing, and it was very surreal. Like growing up going to that stadium, and then like literally being in the center of that field and having my own 30 seconds of just me playing was really wild.

SI: What’s the craziest thing you would do to guarantee your team won a Super Bowl? 

AW: If they'd let me, I would do some crazy stuff with paint on their field, and hopefully get everyone super excited. 

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