Former Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III believes fans are being harsh on Nico Iamaleava.
Iamaleava is set to enter the transfer portal to leave the Tennessee Volunteers as he searches for more NIL money. It was an interesting story over the weekend, and although many fans have taken shots at the quarterback for leaving Tennessee so late in the offseason.
However, Griffin points to coaches who leave schools all the time for more money and better opportunities.
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“The Nico Lamaleava situation is an interesting one. Player wants more money and the team doesn’t want to pay, so the player enters the transfer portal. If you are screaming that the players should honor their contract and commitment to the school, then you better say the same for Coaches who leave for more money and a better opportunity,” Griffin wrote.
After Griffin’s post, a fan asked how many coaches leave the day before a spring game. Yet, he says what coaches do is way worse than what Iamaleava did to the Volunteers.
“Coaches have left days after telling the media and their team they wouldn’t,” Griffin wrote. “Coaches have left weeks after telling recruits they are staying, trapping those players at the school until they can transfer. That’s worse than leaving before a spring game.”
As Griffin says, coaches leave all the time and put players in bad spots. So, Nico Iamaleava leaving the Volunteers now for more money isn’t as bad, according to the Heisman winner.
Tennessee coach explains decision to move on from Nico Iamaleava
As Nico Iamaleava was rumored to be searching for more NIL money and he held out of practices, Tennessee decided to move on from him.
Volunteers coach Josh Huepel announced they would be parting ways with Iamaleava as he says no player is bigger than the program.
“This program has been around for a long time,” Heupel said after the Volunteers played their spring game Saturday, via ESPN. “There are a lot of great coaches, a lot of great players who came before that laid the cornerstone pieces, the legacy, the tradition that is Tennessee football. It’s going to be around a long time after I’m gone and after they’re gone… Obviously, we’re moving forward as a program without him. I said it to the guys today. There’s no one that’s bigger than the Power T. That includes me.”
Iamaleava reportedly asked for $4 million in 2025 after earning around $2.5 million in 2024.
As the Volunteers starting quarterback in 2024, Iamaleava helped Tennessee reach the playoffs. He went 213-for-334 for 2,616 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions.
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Edited by Cole Shelton
