What Nico Iamaleava Said was the Main Reason He Left Tennessee Football

For the first time since Nico Iamaleava departed Tennessee football for UCLA, the quarterback is meeting with the media to field questions.

As a representative for the Bruins at Big Ten Media Days, Iamaleava was asked what the biggest misconception has been about his situation. He said it was never about the money side of things.

“I’d say that my decision to leave was extremely hard. One of the hardest decisions that I ever had to make,” Iamaleava said. “Family was the biggest thing to me. A lot of things about financial stuff, it was never that. It was me getting back home closer to my family and playing at the highest level with my family’s support. Our Samoan culture, we’re always together and that was very important to me.”

“Family was the biggest thing to me.”

UCLA QB Nico Iamaleava answers a question from our @Tracy_McDannald about the misconception involving his departure from Tennessee this spring. pic.twitter.com/89SCIeA55W

— BruinBlitz (On3 | Rivals) (@UCLAOn3) July 24, 2025

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Iamaleava departed from Tennessee after two years with the program. He spent 2024 as the team’s starting quarterback in all 13 games while helping the Vols reach the College Football Playoffs. UT ultimately fell on the road to Ohio State to wrap up a 10-3 season.

The former five-star recruit finished this redshirt-freshman season with 2,616 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also ran for 364 yards and three scores.

Iamaleava was in line to start for a second-straight year and went through spring camp with UT. However, just before the annual Orange & White Spring Game, reports surfaced that Iamaleava was participating in NIL negotiations. Later, Josh Heupel confirmed that Iamaleava did not report to Friday’s practice ahead of the scrimmage, marking an irreparable rift between the sides.

Now, Iamaleava heads to UCLA and Tennessee will hold a quarterback battle. It is a three-man race for the Vols’ job between App State and UCLA transfer Joey Aguilar, redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger and true freshman George MacIntyre.