Every college football show and nearly every sports show has dedicated time this week to discuss quarterback Nico Iamaleava and Tennessee football’s public divorce. The latest to weigh in is former Auburn quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton.
“This is not about money,” Newton said on his 4th and 1 podcast. “This is a perfect case of good advice saves and bad advice kills. Good advice will save your life. Bad advice will kill you. Whoever gave him the advice to sit out, killed that kid.”
The entire fiasco began last Thursday when On3’s Pete Nakos reported that the two sides were re-negotiating his contract. Iamaleava’s father reacted negatively to the report late Thursday night and then the redshirt sophomore quarterback skipped Tennessee’s Friday practice.
Missing practice without telling Tennessee’s coaches was the point of no return for the Vols and their starting quarterback. That decision has been a costly one for Iamaleava and the public reaction to his decision to leave Tennessee.
“Who ever advised this kid to sit out in hopes of more money is a fool,” Newton said. “Because the reality is this, and I’ll need to tell everybody about what NIL was and isn’t intended for. It’s just to make your college experience comfortable. This is not forever money. You have to understand that. Even though you’re talking about millions and millions and millions of money. You’re at 19-years old. That money ain’t going to last past 24.”
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Iamaleava will be eligible for the NFL Draft next spring making the 2025 season a highly important one for his football future. The former five-star recruit had a solid but not spectacular first season as a starting quarterback, completing 64% of his passes for 2,616 yards, 19 touchdowns and five touchdowns.
Newton offered a theory as to how Iamaleava got himself into this situation and why he is leaving Tennessee for more money.
“I can guarantee you what happened,” Newton said. “When Carson Beck left Georgia to go to Miami and he realized, Carson Beck made $10 million (reportedly $4 million)? I’m better than Carson Beck. I know I can slap them for 12. But I’m just making 1.7, 2 million, 3. Bad advice can kill you.”
Multiple outlets reported that Iamaleava was headed to UCLA on Wednesday but nothing seems definitive between the two sides at this point. Wherever he lands, Iamaleava will have to learn a new system in a few shorts months ahead of an important season for his future.
Tennessee now has two quarterbacks on its roster in redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger and early enrollee freshman George MacIntyre. With neither having any college experience, Josh Heupel and his staff are now searching for a starting caliber quarterback in the transfer portal.
