Tennessee athletics could be headed for major change if 'lucrative deal' emerges

Tennessee has gone through its share of drama this spring—including the messy departure of Nico Iamaleava. While the situation was far from ideal, both sides ultimately landed on their feet. Iamaleava returned home to play for UCLA, and the Volunteers appear to have secured an experienced quarterback in his place.

At one point, the situation became so intense that some began calling for Iamaleava’s representatives to shoulder the blame.

“The people who screwed this up for him, his representation, should do the first dignified thing they’ve done and step up to take the arrows for him,” Josh Pate said on The Pat McAfee Show. “He’s not the one that got himself into this mess.”

Despite the controversy surrounding his exit, Iamaleava's arrival has made UCLA one of the clear winners of the spring transfer portal cycle.

“The drama and controversy over Iamaleava’s exit from Tennessee has overshadowed the impact his arrival will have on UCLA. After coming up one win shy of bowl eligibility in coach DeShaun Foster’s debut, the Bruins’ addition of Iamaleava pushes them into the second tier of Big Ten teams fighting for seven or more wins during the regular season,” Paul Myerberg wrote.

Meanwhile, Tennessee is now making headlines for a different reason—they’re exploring a new apparel deal that could replace their current partnership with Nike.

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“Yes, the University of Tennessee is looking at different options for apparel, that could bring in a much more lucrative deal compared to Nike. Nothing is done, but options are good to have,” Trey Wallace posted.

One of the potential suitors is Adidas, Tennessee’s former apparel partner.

“A little more than a decade later, Tennessee is seemingly flirting with a move back to Adidas. Tennessee’s apparel deal with Nike is reportedly up in 2026 and negotiations are ongoing regarding who will take over,” Terry A. Lambert wrote.

Only time will tell if change is near, but for at least the upcoming school year, Tennessee will still be wearing Nike.