Keaton Jones visits with UT Vols football team, Fulmer after viral bullying video, backlash

Keaton Jones, the Union County student whose bullying video has gone viral, enjoyed his new celebrity status Tuesday during a visit with the University of Tennessee football team and tour of Neyland Stadium. 

Jones and his mother, Kimberly Jones, declined to comment on the viral video in which he describes being bullied, when approached by a reporter outside the Anderson Training Center on campus. 

The video inspired thousands of people to speak out condemning bullying, but it has also led to outrage and allegations of racism over other social media posts by the Jones family that featured pictures of the Confederate flag. 

More:Keaton Jones' mother responds to racism allegations, says photos were meant to be 'ironic'

More:Union County school district, parents respond to viral Keaton Jones bullying video

More:Crying East Tennessee boy's viral anti-bullying video attracts attention of Vols, Titans

On Tuesday, a video posted on Twitter by wide receiver Tyler Byrd shows Keaton Jones smiling ear to ear in a custom Vols jersey with his initials on it, a far cry from the sobbing little boy in the bullying video. 

In the video, Jones, his mother and sister are shown meeting with players and Athletics Director Phil Fulmer. 

"You've touched a lot of hearts here and around the world, actually. It's pretty special," Fulmer tells Keaton Jones.

They talked about coaching, recruiting and even Facetimed with incoming Vols coach Jeremy Pruitt. 

Vols players were some of the first to reach out to Keaton after the video, in which he describes having milk poured on him and ham put down his clothes, was posted on Facebook by his mother Friday. 

The visit to the stadium and training center Tuesday are among dozens of offers from celebrities and athletes around the country who have offered their support.

Originally, the players had planned to visit Horace Maynard Middle School in Maynardville, where Keaton is in the sixth grade, but instead they settled on a visit in Knoxville, according to Byrd's tweets.

Jarrett Guarantano, a University of Tennessee Vols quarterback, also tweeted a picture with his "new best bud" Keaton on Sunday evening. 

"So I got the chance to spend the day with my new best bud Keaton," Guarantano wrote. "It was unbelievable to get to know him and realize that we have a lot in common. This dude is very special and has changed my life forever. Now I have the little brother I always wanted! God bless you my man."

Since it was posted Friday, Keaton's video has been viewed more than 18 million times and attracted national and international media attention. 

It has also provoked scrutiny after Kimberly Jones made her Facebook page private in the midst of the racism allegations.

She responded in a segment that aired on CBS News on Tuesday saying the Confederate flag photos were meant to be "ironic" and "funny" and not racist.