Tennessee fan captured burning Nico Iamaleava’s jersey after his controversial decision to hit the transfer portal

Following failed negotiations regarding his NIL deal with Tennessee, Nico Iamaleava has decided to leave the program for a better payday. Fans aren't reacting kindly to the news, with social media filled with extreme reactions from Volunteers fans.

One of the most fanatical reactions was a video Tennessee fan burning his Iamaleava shirt.

When Iamaleava joined the Vols, he signed a groundbreaking NIL deal of around $8 million. At the time, it was unheard of, and it set up the QB to earn $2 million per year throughout his college career. However, as the NIL market matured, it became less impressive. Carson Beck, for example, is set to make $4 million in his final season with the Miami Hurricanes.

LSU's Brian Kelly on Nico Iamaleava's departure from Tennessee

While some coaches, like Georgia's Kirby Smart, came forward to express their dislike about what the NIL era has done to college athletics, others like LSU coach Brian Kelly take it for what it is. Speaking to the press on Saturday, Kelly addressed Nico Iamaleava's decision to leave Tennessee and what it means in the grand scheme of things.

"I think that we're going to see a lot of this, you know, this is a new world and I think we're going to navigate it the best that we can, but I think that there's going to be other situations that come," Kelly said.

In 2024, Iamaleava led the Volunteers to their second-best season since 2007, with the school making it to the College Football Playoff for the first time and was the No. 9-ranked program on the AP Poll at the end of the year. The Vols finished with a 10-3 (6-2 Southeastern Conference) overall record.

Tennessee's QB room is thin, and its hopes for the 2025 season are heavily dented if it won't get a proper replacement in the upcoming transfer portal window.