Father of Nico Iamaleava offers strong response to report about NIL negotiations with the Tennessee Vols
An otherwise quiet spring for the Tennessee Vols was turned upside down on Thursday thanks to a report from On3's Pete Nakos that suggested that rising redshirt sophomore quarterback Nico Iamaleava is in "negotiations" with UT on a new NIL deal. Iamaleava's NIL deal, which was agreed to in 2022, is believed to now be […]
An otherwise quiet spring for the Tennessee Vols was turned upside down on Thursday thanks to a report from On3's Pete Nakos that suggested that rising redshirt sophomore quarterback Nico Iamaleava is in "negotiations" with UT on a new NIL deal.
Iamaleava's NIL deal, which was agreed to in 2022, is believed to now be a below-market deal thanks to the rapidly changing NIL market for college football quarterbacks.
Nakos' report suggested that Iamaleava leaving Tennessee via the NCAA transfer portal is a scenario that's not completely off the table.
"It remains unclear if those negotiations will impact Iamaleava’s decision regarding the spring transfer portal, which opens next week," wrote Nakos.
That report, unsurprisingly, led to some panic among Tennessee fans. Iamaleava led the Volunteers to the College Football Playoff in 2024 as a redshirt freshman. The California native is expected to take a big step forward in 2025 in what will be his second season as the starting quarterback in Josh Heupel's offense.
On Thursday night, a report emerged from CBS Sports that suggested that Iamaleava is not negotiating a new NIL deal with Tennessee.
From CBS Sports: "The family are happy (with Tennessee)," said Cordell Landers, a close friend of the Iamaleavas. Landers is a former assistant director of player personnel at Florida who also works with a number of notable players from California. "There are no (contract negotiations), they're happy with the contract they have."
The report from CBS Sports also noted that a rumor "rippled through the West Coast" last week that suggested that Iamaleava could be interested in the transfer portal.
From CBS Sports: Last week, a rumor rippled through the West Coast that Iamaleava may be interested in testing the portal waters. When reached then about that possibility, one source at Tennessee expressed little concern about the Vols' standing with Iamaleava. Sources Thursday remained reasonably nonplussed about Iamaleava leaving Tennessee, though sources close to the situation would not fully rule it out.
Additionally, CBS Sports reported that folks at Tennessee would've liked a public show of unity from Iamaleava in quickly denying the report.
Late Thursday night, Iamaleava's father took to Twitter/X.com to address the report.
"More games being played off the field than on the field," tweeted Iamaleava's father. "Bi7ch [sic] Nakos from On3sports called and asked me directly, I told him I had no idea on what he's talking about. He said his 'close source' that he trusts with his life from the University of Tennessee staff gave him information. So y'all can ask them what's going on, cuz it ain't from us!"
Who knows what's really going on. Neither Iamaleava's side or Tennessee seems happy with this report. And while no one seems to know exactly what's going on, the one thing that's clear is that it puts Iamaleava in a tough spot as a young player. And it's the last thing that he, or the Volunteers, need ahead of the program's spring game on Saturday.
