Former Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Nico Iamaleava is in the news for all the wrong reasons. The 23-year-old was negotiating with Tennessee to rework his NIL deal to $4 million. Just a day later, he was absent from practice ahead of the Volunteers’ spring game. And soon after, head coach Josh Heupel announced the team had moved on from Iamaleava as their starting quarterback.
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The incident, where the young QB appeared to prioritize his NIL deal over the team, has sent shockwaves through the football world. Several analysts, including ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky, voiced concern. “I don’t love it for the young man, because it’s contrary to everything I know,” Orlovsky said.
Meanwhile, former Heisman winner and NFL MVP Cam Newton, who has faced similar situations both in college and the league, offered a different perspective. On his 4th and 1 podcast, Newton pointed the finger at the people advising Nico over the decision to opt out from Tennessee.
“This is not about money here. Even though everybody is making it about, oh man, this is about money. This is a perfect case of good advice saves, bad advice kills. Whoever gave the advice to sit out, killed that kid. Whoever told his father, whoever told him or gave him the inkling of money—this has everything to do with advice. Who advised the Iamaleava family to make this decision?,” he asked.
Notably, Cam admitted he didn’t know who exactly gave the advice—but he knew it was the wrong kind. And in his words, that advice may follow Nico for the rest of his career. “This will stick with people,” Cam said, comparing it to how fans still associate him with the Super Bowl loss in 2016, or how critics link Lamar Jackson with playoff shortcomings.
Meanwhile, Cam also didn’t mince words when it came to the advisers.
“Now, with Nico, he will have this as a stain on his career. And it is sad. Because, to Dan Orlovsky’s point, he is still a kid… that’s being guided by other people. Whether it is his father, his agent, or his family members—it doesn’t matter. This is a story of good advice, bad advice. Whoever advised this kid to sit out and chase in hopes of money is a fool,” he outlined.
Additionally, Newton pointed to the growing influence of NIL as the root cause of the Iamaleava fallout. What bothered him most was that neither players nor parents fully grasp what NIL is really for.
“I’ll need to tell everybody about what NIL was and is intended for. It’s just to make your college experience comfortable. This is not forever money. You have to understand that. Even though you are talking about millions and millions and millions of money—bro, you’re just 19 years old. That money ain’t going to last past 24,” he explained.
Speaking further, Cam emphasized that NFL revenue lasts longer and advised players to think long-term, not short term. He also made it clear he wasn’t blaming Nico personally. Because he believes, the young quarterback didn’t make the decision alone.
However, NIL is the new reality in college football. With stars like Shedeur Sanders reportedly earning $6.9 million before even entering the NFL, it’s no surprise that young athletes are paying attention.
But as Cam Newton warned, it all comes down to priorities: long-term vision vs. short-term gain. And in his eyes, betting on the NFL—not NIL—is the safest path forward.
