According to a report detailing the latest chapters from Nil Saga, Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava’s asking price is some schools in the holding pattern.
Iamaleava, who was in the middle of a multi-year contract worth at least $8 million with Tennessee’s Nil Collective, entered the transfer portal after a fraudulent breakup with a volunteer amid the contract dispute.
Multiple programs are ready to enter the Iamaleava sweepstakes if he drops his demand and accepts a deal close to $1 million. ON3 reported on Tuesday.
The 20-year-old Iamaleava reportedly earns $2.2 million for the 2025 season in the final year of his first deal signed with Tennessee’s Nil Collective and Spyre Sports Group. He originally put a pen on paper as a junior in high school in March 2022.
The championship victory and the Heisman Trophy could have exceeded $10 million.
Iamaleava sought about $4 million. According to ESPN.
Iamaleava is represented by his father Nic Iamaleava, at least one lawyer, Cordell Landers, former assistant director of Florida player rep.
Nick’s best friend denied reports that Iamaleava pushed more money.
“The story was the Bulls,” said a friend who refused to name it. Front Office Sports Through a phone interview on Monday.
FOS added that multiple sources challenge the claim.
“He didn’t make him wrong,” a family friend said. “At the end of the day, what was wrong to guide him and put him in a bad situation? We didn’t.”
They also repeated tweets from Nic ON3 report rejected Last Thursday, his son said he was renegotiating for a contract with Tennessee’s Nir Group.
“Nico doesn’t want money. He doesn’t even have those money conversations,” said an unknown family friend.
Iamaleava skipped practice with the Vols last Friday and did not play in the Tennessee spring game the following Saturday.
A family friend reported that the quarterback’s absence was due to part of a “hold-out” or negotiation tactic.
According to FOS, the rift between the Vols and Iamaleava reached its peak after the loss to Tennessee’s final champion Ohio State in the College Football playoffs last December.
The quarterback representative reportedly spoke to head coach Joshua Hepel and explained what it takes to iamaleava to stay in the program.
A family friend had asserted that the conversation had nothing to do with money, but another source told FOS that the Iamaleava camp had asked the Tennessee group for a raise.
“Big Nick said, ‘I want you to recruit and get the O-line right, and reassure us that you’re going out there and get a receiver,” the friend said.
According to FOS, Tennessee’s Nil Collective created multiple counter-offs for Iamaleava, but his representatives became increasingly unresponsive and confused about their future commitments.
Representatives and groups from the Tennessee Athletics Department declined to request FOS for comment.
Iamaleava reportedly entered the Wednesday transfer portal with the “Don’t Contact” tag on Wednesday, indicating that he has an idea as to where he will next steal talent.
Iamaleava made No. 9 Tennessee for the first time in last year’s college football playoffs. There, the Vols lost to No. 8 Buckeyes 42-17 in the first round.
In 2024, Iamaleava started all 13 games in Tennessee, adding 358 rushing yards and three more scores while throwing 2,616 yards, 19 touchdowns and five interceptions.
