Tennessee Wastes No Time Erasing Nico Iamaleava From Stadium Decor

The quarterback, beloved mere months ago, is now persona non grata in Knoxville.

Nico Iamaleava prepares to pass against Ohio State. / Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

Quarterback Nico Iamaleava was the future at Tennessee—until Saturday, when he became the past.

Iamaleava's reported separation from the Volunteers amid an NIL dispute rocked the college football world Saturday morning, and cast a pall over Tennessee's annual spring game. It did not take long for the Volunteers to demonstrate their willingness to move on.

As afternoon turned to evening in Knoxville, Tenn., Adam Sparks of The Knoxville News posted to social media a photo from Tennessee's media room. A photo on a wall in the media room has clearly been removed from its frame; Sparks said the photo was of Iamaleava.

Guess whose photo used to be here in Tennessee media room.

Neyland Stadium has been wiped clean.

It’s sorta remarkable how quickly UT did that throughout stadium, in team store, on videos, etc. pic.twitter.com/OH8zjVpCHP

— Adam Sparks (@AdamSparks) April 12, 2025

"Guess whose photo used to be here in Tennessee media room. Neyland Stadium has been wiped clean," Sparks wrote. "It’s (sort of) remarkable how quickly UT did that throughout stadium, in team store, on videos, etc."

The Volunteers are scheduled to open their season on Aug. 30 against Syracuse, with no reminder—for the time being—of the quarterback who led them to the College Football Playoff in 2024.

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