Robert Neyland grew up in East Texas. His first brush with local fame came as a semi-pro baseball player while in High School. He attended Texas A&M for one year, playing football and baseball under Charles Moran, former University of Tennessee stand-out. In the fall of 1911, Neyland took an examination to be a nominee for West Point. Neyland entered West Point in the summer of 1912. His next four years were filled with sports accolades. Neyland won 20 consecutive games pitching for Army, was a starting end on the Cadets' 1914 National Championship team and was the academy's heavyweight boxing champ his final three years. Upon graduation, Neyland served with distinction in France in World War I, on the Mexican border against Pancho Villa and in Asia during World War II, rising to the rank of Brigadier General. He was highly decorated by several governments for his work coordinating supplies to war-ravaged, isolated China.

Neyland came to the University of Tennessee in September of 1925 as an Assistant Professor of Military Science and Tactics. He also served as the assistant football coach and became the team's head coach in 1926. Neyland coached until 1934 when he was called to active duty in the Panama Canal Zone. He returned to coach in 1936 and was recalled to active duty in World War II. Neyland came back to coach in 1946 until 1952, and he then had to retire due to poor health and became the athletic director until his death in 1962. During his career as football coach, the team won the national championship in 1952, and his complete record was 173-31-12.

Neyland's career as the football coach of the Volunteers covered 21 seasons, twice interrupted by military duty. He was a contemporary of legendary coach Paul Bear Bryant and long considered his biggest rival.