Gorney: Hey Tennessee, pay Nico Iamaleava his money

When Nico Iamaleava signed a blockbuster NIL deal with Tennessee coming out of high school that paid him a reported $2 million per year, that was the opening salvo in what has been a money train run wild.

Depending on which reporting you believe over the last 24 hours, either Iamaleava is working to renegotiate that deal in the $4 million-per-year range as the market for quarterbacks – especially in the SEC – has gone up even though Iamaleava’s father has denied having any idea.

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According to a source, Iamaleava, who missed Tennessee’s practice on Friday, has not talked to Tennessee’s collective – Spyre Sports Group – in months. There is some chatter floating around that sources in Knoxville are floating these Iamaleava renegotiation rumors to play hardball.

The situation is too fluid to really grasp any firm details at the moment. It’s unclear what Iamaleava’s plan is for Saturday’s spring game.

But the narratives floating out from some media insiders on Friday are laughable at best and foolish at worst.

Take 104.5 ESPN Baton Rouge for example, calling Iamaleava a “mediocre player who’s strong-arming a university’s booster base into more cash or he’ll leave.”

Or 680TheFan’s BarrettSallee, formerly of CBS Sports, saying Iamaleava, “isn’t that good. … Tennessee would be fine moving on and finding somebody else.”

Or Fox Sports’ ChrisFallica pointing out that Iamaleavea threw 19 touchdowns last season – 11 of them coming against Chattanooga, UTEP and Vanderbilt.

Rapid Tennessee homer ClayTravis said: “Not my call, but with Nico no-showing practice at Tennessee, I’d cut bait. You can’t have a team leader this immature. Really poor decision by his family. Whatever he makes in college is a pinprick of what he could make in the NFL one day if he matures into a pro QB.”

Let’s just remember a few things and put some others into context: Last season was Iamaleava’s first as a starter. He certainly didn’t have an historical year but even many recent No. 1 quarterback draft picks have.

Caleb Williams threw for 1,912 yards and 21 touchdowns in his first season at Oklahoma against Big 12 defenses. He transferred to USC, following coach LincolnRiley, and completely dominated.

Kyler Murray was a disaster in his first season at