“College football a joke now.” That’s former NFL All-Pro Micah Parsons’ take on the escalating NIL greed. And he’s not alone. Coaches, boosters, and fans are increasingly questioning if college football is turning into the Wild West, with no sheriffs in sight. The simmering NIL chatter in college football really exploded when Nico Iamaleava ironically bolted from Josh Heupel’s Tennessee program over a dispute over NIL payout. It was Tennessee and Iamaleava, who, to a great extent, set the ball rolling for school-affiliated collectives spending on recruits when he signed an $8 million NIL deal with the Vols as a high school senior. Three years after inking the groundbreaking deal, Iamaleava emerged as college football’s first prominent holdout.

It wasn’t as if the move entirely out of the blue. Ahead of their spring game on Saturday, reports emerged that Iamaleava and Tennessee were in active talks over a new contract. However, the QB’s father quickly shut down the report and denied any such negotiations taking place. “More games being played off the field than on the field,” he said in a post on X.

A chaotic 72 hours ensued, ultimately leading to a split between Tennessee and Iamaleava. While his future remains unclear, his father may have hinted where his son could end up next, as at least one of the schools chasing him is about to flip the whole NIL landscape on its head.

The clearest window into this saga came when Blue Bloods Bias dropped personal DM receipts from Nico’s father, Nic Iamaleava, who did not mince words. “Transfer QB Nico Iamaleava is set to receive a MAJOR pay raise at his new school,” they captioned the post. Nic also confirmed that the sweepstakes are very real and very lucrative.

“The offers we have received are better than what Nico was getting, by a lot!…Nico has offers over $4,000,000,” read one of his responses shared by Blue Bloods Bias. Four million. Even more shocking was the admission that one of the programs in the mix isn’t even from a Power 5 conference. “Tulane and a lot of other schools yes,” read another message from Nic. Yes, it’s the Tulane Green Wave football team.

The Power T’s biggest split in years has entered its immediate aftermath, filled with speculation, dollar amounts, and disbelief surrounding one of the most talked-about QBs in recent memory. The $8 million man is officially a free agent. And while Vols HC Josh Heupel tried to lay down the law, stating, “No one is bigger than the Power T, that includes me,” the message now feels more like an acceptance of the situation. This wasn’t just a QB competition; it was a financial showdown. And with Carson Beck and other SEC quarterbacks redefining the market, Nico’s team decided it was time to go shopping.

But the QB has faced criticism for choosing to go down this route, but for his father, it was strictly business. Nic didn’t hold back when addressing the critics and the business-first mindset that has defined his son’s next move. “Y’all in the media need to understand this is business first! And we are allowed to seek opportunities elsewhere,” he said in another text shared post by Blue Blood Bias. It was a statement that spoke directly to the heart of college football’s NIL era—a defiant reminder that loyalty doesn’t always pay the bills. But it also exposed the tension at the center of the sport’s identity crisis.

Nico Iamaleava reportedly had an NIL deal at Tennessee worth somewhere between $2.2 and $2.5 million this year. But that wasn’t enough. He wanted closer to $4 million, and when the Vols wouldn’t bite, the breakup became inevitable. From Knoxville’s side, it’s a loss of a good arm talent. From the Iamaleavas’ perspective, it’s just business. So, was this really a surprise?

After Tennessee’s 2024 season ended in Columbus, Ohio, with a one-sided loss to eventual national champion Ohio State in the first round of the 12-team College Football Playoff, Iamaleava’s camp began exploring transfer options. That included discussions with Miami representatives, though the Hurricanes ultimately landed Georgia transfer Carson Beck with a deal worth more than $3 million.

With Tennessee’s spring season closing, Iamaleava’s family friend made it clear that the QB’s family is happy with the current contract. However, when Iamaleava didn’t show up for the team’s final workout before Saturday’s Orange & White Game, Volunteers coach Josh Heupel knew that Iamaleava wouldn’t be staying.

“Friday morning, when he didn’t show up,” Heupel said when asked when it became clear Iamaleava was no longer part of the program. “We came off the practice field and hadn’t heard a word.” Iamaleava had made up his mind, and now the question is, who’s on the other end of the negotiation table?

Apart from Tulane, as mentioned by his father, there are reportedly two more suitors: the UCLA Bruins and North Carolina Tar Heels. However, the AAC heavyweight just might be the dark horse in this race, If this deal goes through, it would be an unprecedented move—a top-five recruit landing with a non-Power 5 program purely because of a high-dollar NIL offer.

But maybe that’s just where the sport is now. Or maybe Nico Iamaleava is in bad company….

NIL lawyer calls out Nico Iamaleava: It’s time to clean house

Things are getting a little too loud—and not in a good way—for Tennessee QB (former) Nico Iamaleava. According to NIL attorney Darren Heitner, the problem isn’t Nico’s talent but rather the people in his inner circle.

“Nico Iamaleava needs to put up walls between him and his handlers,” Heitner posted on X. “Get in front of the negativity and rehabilitate his image asap. I hear he’s a good person. But he’s getting terrible advice. The market for his services in college and potentially at the pro level is collapsing.”

Oof. That’s not what you want to hear when you’re trying to build a brand and a legacy.

Heitner didn’t stop there, calling out the silence from Iamaleava’s camp after a social media dustup with journalist Pete Nakos: “The silence from his camp since calling journalist Pete Nakos a b*tch is deafening,” he wrote. “Where are the damage control experts? It seems like Nico has people who think they’re the smartest in the room. But they may be in the wrong room. Will Nico figure it out before it’s too late?” Bottom line: Nico’s got the tools, but if his off-field team doesn’t tighten up, they might fumble his future.