“D*mn, I was trying to sit out *and* throw the playoff game too?”
The current college sports landscape, shaped by NIL deals and frequent transfers for better opportunities, has sparked plenty of debate—especially surrounding former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava.
Recently, CBS Sports personality Josh Pate claimed on his YouTube show that Iamaleava and other players threatened to hold out of the College Football Playoff unless they received more money. Pate said, “This stuff was happening last December during the playoffs — with this kid included, but not just this kid. They were trying to get more money from Tennessee and other playoff teams before the playoffs. They were trying to leverage playoff participation.”
On Friday, Iamaleava addressed the claims via Instagram. He denied any threats to sit out and mocked the allegations, writing, “D*mn I tried to sit out and throw the playoff game too?” with laughing emojis and a photo from the playoff game. In another post, he joked with teammate Navy Shuler in a photo, saying they were discussing “how ima throw this game rq,” again with laughing emojis.
While it’s unclear what conversations took place behind the scenes, no evidence has been shared to back the serious claims made by Pate. The accusations, particularly of intentionally throwing a game, are significant and could carry legal consequences. Iamaleava’s public denial marks his first direct response since leaving Tennessee, pushing back strongly against the narrative.
Leave a Reply