Uncertainty spiked in Knoxville on Thursday as Tennessee's unsteady relationship with starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava went public. A report from On3 described Iamaleava and Tennessee as going through "contract negotiations" ahead of the April 16 opening of the college football spring transfer portal window.

Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava reportedly is negotiating a new multimillion-dollar NIL deal just ahead of the transfer portal opening on April 16.

According to the Knox News, Iamaleava signed a $2 million NIL contract in 2022. However, as the report states, the NIL market has changed for quarterbacks since that deal. Since a redshirt season in 2023, he has played in 18 games - 14 as a starter - and has thrown for 2,930 yards and 21 touchdowns with only five interceptions.