Every Tennessee Fan Has the Same Reaction After a Disturbing Nico Iamaleava Clip Goes Viral

UCLA expected Nico Iamaleava’s debut to be a fresh start. Especially after his most controversial exit from Tennessee. But as the Rose Bowl crowd watched on, the night quickly became a tough reality check. Nico struggled to find any rhythm as Utah rolled over UCLA 43-10. That left fans wondering if the hype around Iamaleava was premature. He finished 11 of 22 for just 136 yards. That is his lowest yardage total as a starter. Utah defenders relentlessly closed in and sacked him four brutal times.

Despite the rough night, UCLA coach Deshaun Foster praised Nico’s toughness, saying, “He’s a competitor, not one to quit.” But things took a sharp turn pretty fast as rumors swirled about Nico possibly dealing with an injury after the game. Even though these were rumors, they left fans and media speculating if his struggles and the brutal sacks took more of a toll than initially visible. Or worse, he is making it up. “Nico spotted limping with a brace on his right hand after the game,” Barstool UCLA posted on X.

However, in the video, Nico limped, but the brace was on his left hand instead of his right. Now that again sparked a fresh Iamaleava controversy. It didn’t exactly win over skeptics, especially among Tennessee fans. Given the contentious breakup between Nico and Tennessee, many took the injury news with a grain of salt. And saw it more as a way to dodge responsibility for the lopsided loss against Utah. Tennessee fans have long harbored doubts about Nico’s commitment and decision-making ever since his abrupt transfer last spring.

Massive reports of NIL disputes and missed practices made the situation worse. This backstory causes their skepticism to run even deeper, making them less inclined to buy any narrative that paints Nico purely as a victim of injury or circumstance. To be clear, Nico did actually suffer a legitimate injury during the 2024 season. In a game against Mississippi State that November, officials ruled him out for the remainder after he sustained an upper-body injury. That led to him missing significant playing time and entering concussion protocol afterward.

His injury was widely reported and confirmed by Tennessee’s coaching staff. But now, the situation feels murkier. Also, even during the post-game media conference, Nico didn’t mention any type of health issue he faced while playing. The brace he was seen wearing on his left hand, despite the video caption on X clearly stating the right one, weirdly amplifies the skepticism around this new injury claim. This odd mismatch makes fans and analysts question which injury is real and which might be part of an overly convenient narrative.

Is Nico playing the injury card? Fans smell something fishy

Nico’s fans—wait, that’s a wrong take, the Tennessee fans didn’t waste any time in calling out the QB’s abrupt injury. A fan writes with utmost criticism, “Time to fake being hurt. Sit out the season, no practice, don’t take school seriously, sit back and eat all that NIL money UCLA had to straight up guarantee Nico. Love the idea. I would too.” Fans recall how Nico’s time at Tennessee was marked by offseason drama. Because that’s when the money factor played a huge role. That fuelled suspicion he might use injury talk as a way to deflect accountability.

Plus, the fact that UCLA reportedly guaranteed him a big NIL deal to secure his transfer. “Just got to LA and already acting like Bron after an L lol,” another fan writes. This comment feels like a jab. After all the hype of a fresh collegiate chapter, his debut ended in a brutal 43-10 beatdown by Utah. That’s not just a shot at Nico. The fan brought in a famous X topic among NBA fans. That Lebron James fakes injuries when his team is losing the game.

And that’s how Nico talked during the post-game conference. “Pride hurt,” a fan writes. It is an obvious nod to the blow to Nico’s ego. When a quarterback transfers with high expectations and then gets benched by a dominant defense, pride takes a hit. Lastly, a fan writes, “Drama in LA? Who would have guessed? Perfect place for that fraud.” La is a place where athletes constantly navigate media storms where scandals take the front seat. So, to call Nico Iamaleava’s drama in LA “perfect” is to acknowledge that this city thrives on drama, spotlight, and controversy.