Tennessee Hall of Famer Eric Berry reacts to Nico Iamaleava, NIL negotiations

Tennessee Hall of Famer Eric Berry is the latest former Vol to react to the Nico Iamaleava situation on Rocky Top. Iamaleava was absent from Friday’s practice, one day after On3’s Pete Nakos reported active negotiations regarding a new NIL deal.

Berry, of course, starred at Tennessee from 2007-09 before going No. 5 overall in the 2010 NFL Draft. He won the SEC’s Defensive Player of the Year award in 2008 and the Jim Thorpe Award in 2009 as part of his decorated career, which led him to a Hall of Fame induction this year.

As he assessed Iamaleava’s current situation, Berry looked back to his time in Knoxville. He noted the “bond” he and his teammates had while also noting the need for “commitment” in the current age of college football, whether players enter the transfer portal or stay in their current spot.

"I wouldn't trade my college experience for anything."

In the current NIL landscape of college athletics, newly inducted Tennessee Athletics Hall of Famer Eric Berry says the relationships he made at UT are worth more than any dollar amount @WVLTSports @wvlt @Vol_Sports pic.twitter.com/CLhyUxsDha

— Rick Russo (@wvltrick) April 12, 2025

“To be honest with you, I wouldn’t trade my college experience for anything,” Berry told WVLT’s Rick Russo. “I talk to my dad about this all the time. Being with my teammates and my brothers and trying to figure out how we’re going to make $96 stretch every month, that’s a part of the bond we created.

“I think with the guys today, I think they just – regardless if they transferred, go to the transfer portal or want to go to see another opportunity. If you don’t commit to the opportunity within yourself and take full advantage of it, it doesn’t really matter what team or what school you go to or however much money they give you.”

Iamaleava’s situation unfolded just before Tennessee’s Orange and White spring game on Saturday. On3 reported he is seeking a new NIL deal, and the goal was to finalize an agreement before Saturday’s scrimmage, and multiple sources told Nakos Iamaleava’s current contract is somewhere between $2.2 to $2.5 million.

However, Friday’s practice provided another twist in the situation when Iamaleava was absent, VolQuest’s Austin Price reported. According to ESPN’s Chris Low, there has not been much – if any – contact between Iamaleava and the Tennessee program on Friday.

As a sophomore last season, Nico Iamaleava threw for 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns in his first year as Tennessee’s starting quarterback. He previously sat behind Joe Milton, and NIL was a central part of the recruiting process. As The Athletic reported at the time, Iamaleava received a lucrative NIL deal when he arrived on Rocky Top.

That agreement was a seminal moment in the NIL era, and something the NCAA was getting ready to investigate before Tennessee fought back. That led to a preliminary injunction and, ultimately, the NCAA allowing NIL discussions to take place during the recruiting process.