Nico Iamaleava’s Dad’s Disrespectful Antics Spark New Controversy as Fresh UCLA Update Threatens Son’s Career

72 hours, that’s all it took for everything to fall apart for Nico Iamaleava and Tennessee. 72 hours and NIL contract negotiations turned into a full-blown divorce, probably one of the most public ones in the NIL era. But the kicker? What happened in the very end that has proved to be the last thread for the Vols and Nico. Here is exactly how things went upside down for the worse.

• March 2022: Nico signs an $8 million/ 4-year NIL deal with the Volunteers as a high school senior.
• April 10, 2025, Thursday: In the morning, news broke out that Nico was renegotiating his NIL deal. However, in the evening, the 5-star recruit for the class of 2023 was sitting with the other QBs at the QB coach Joey Halzle’s home, enjoying the annual tradition while eating tacos.
• April 11, 2025, Friday: Nico missed the practice and team meetings in the morning. By evening, he informed Halzle that he had filed for a transfer.
• April 12, 2025, Saturday: The Volunteers drove to the Neyland Stadium for the Orange and White Spring game, without Nico. Later in the presser, HC Josh Heupel announced the separation with their veteran QB, adding, “I want to thank him (Nico) for everything that he’s done since he’s gotten here. I said to the guys today, there’s no one that’s bigger than the Power T. And that includes me.” 
• April 16, 2025, Wednesday: Nico formally entered the transfer portal and The Athletic announced that he may be returning to California to play for UCLA.

However, the fans were anticipating seeing the QB who led them to the CFP last season as most of the 30,000 fans that reached Neyland Stadium wore Nico’s jersey to show support. But little did they know what the former Tennessee Vols QB’s father, Nic was up to.

The situation was set into motion by Pete Nakos of On3, who first reported tensions between Iamaleava and the Tennessee staff over financial terms. Iamaleava’s camp reportedly rejected Tennessee’s offer of $2.4 million per year and instead pushed for $4 million. With the QB missing their practice before the Spring game, the media fallout was swift, but it was Nico’s father who made waves with his own public response.

On social media, Nic directly accused Nakos of misreporting their conversations, adding fuel to an already volatile situation. He tweeted, “More games are being played off the field than on the field. B—h Nakos from @On3sports called and asked me directly. I told him I had no idea what he was talking about. He said his ‘close source’ that he trusts with his life from the University of Tennessee staff gave him this.”

Apparently, the news about the contract negotiations had been leaked to the media. And while it was true that they were takin place, Nic tried to fan them off, pulling in the On3 reporter with him. The NIL deal signed in March 2022, added a monthly pay to the QB’s account which rounded up to $2 million per year. However, with Nico’s camp requesting double the original offer, things got sticky.

Still, per reports, the program was ready to pay the QB a deal of around $2.4 million per year in the new negotiations. Consequently, the player held out as if NFL free agency was a thing for college football and now is reported to be joining UCLA. However, the transfer is still unofficial. But Pete Nakos has come up with a reply.

In an interview on Crain and Company, Pete Nakos was asked if the ‘stuff’ posted on X by Nico’s father had any truth to it. “Yeah, he (Nic Iamaleava) just kept telling me that I knew more than he did, but didn’t really want and decline it.”

Then, one of the co-hosts asked if Nico’s father had apologized to him or made any contact for updates. “No, there’s been no contact. I have tried to call him multiple times, though, to try to be like: Is Nico going to the transfer portal? Is Nico going to UCLA? Because you would know best, but no contact there.”

Top Comment by BigOrangeFan

It’s already being «reported» that UCLA is worried about him being a hold out next year for more money. He’s...more

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As reported by The Athletic, Nico is now joining UCLA in a transfer move that is being highlighted for all the wrong reasons. Another report by On3 also considers states, “Nico Iamaleava to UCLA is NOT a done deal, @ClowESPN reports. “If Iamaleava’s deal with UCLA gets done, it won’t be close to the $4 million his camp was asking from Tennessee. Talks ramping up.” And some also mention that he actually might be landing on a lower end of the spectrum instead, losing in the negotiations instead.

There are accusations that Nico’s father handled things carelessly. Josh Heupel, on the other hand, will be stuck in a limbo as just in a matter of 72 hours, the conversations around the Vols have gone from how a rebuilt group of receivers could boost Iamaleava’s development to where is Iamaleava after all? The program now needs a solid QB, and we still don’t know if Jake Merklinger will be able to lead behind the O-line.

Nico’s move to UCLA, potentially a threatening move for the QB?

Now that the QB has moved to UCLA, and will look to start afresh. There are still accusations that the move was motivated by a desire to earn more money. Nico’s father, however, has denied all of these allegations and even said that the broken negotiations at Tennessee weren’t due to money. Still, this begs the question: Will Nico be making more at UCLA?

Pete Nakos was asked the same question on ‘Crain and Company‘, and the ON3 journalist even said that UCLA might not be a ‘done deal’. “I don’t know what that exact number is going to be at UCLA, they definitely seem to still be in discussions or things like that. I know Bruce Felman at the athletic reported that.”

Then the journalist said about the financial aspect and the money Iamaleava would be making at Tennessee. “Not ready to say that it’s a done deal just yet. In terms of how much money he’s going to get, it’s going to be far less than the $4 million he wanted from Tennessee“. Was the move wise on Nico’s part?

Iamaleava is a native of Southern California of Long Beach, so the move may work for the guy if proximity is a concern. Moreover, it is also reported that Iamaleava’s former high school coach, Stacey Ford, also may have influenced the QB’s decision to transfer. Now that he is widely reported to be at UCLA and earning even less than he did at Tennessee, one question remains: Was it the most prudent decision for Nico’s representatives to pull out of the Tennessee deal?

What’s worse is that many schools that were previously interested in Nico, have now pulled out. This means, if UCLA is not a done deal, the QB might be in for a rough patch in his otherwise shiny collegiate career.