Apr 11, 2025, 12:05 PM ET

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    The day before the winter portal window closed in December, sources told ESPN that Iamaleava’s representatives wanted to renegotiate his deal in the $4 million range, but his deal was unchanged. He’s expected to make $2.4 million with the Vols this year, sources said.

    With the portal set to open Wednesday, Iamaleava’s representatives were again looking for $4 million, and sources told ESPN that Tennessee “wasn’t going to blink and pay him any more money.”

    Iamaleava, the No. 23 overall recruit in the class of 2023, signed a then-unprecedented deal with Tennessee’s NIL collective in 2022, one that would pay more than $8 million over his college career, when he committed to the program.

    The 6-foot-6, 220-pound passer redshirted in 2023 and threw for 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns in his first season as a starter, leading Tennessee to 10 wins and a College Football Playoff appearance that ended in a first-round loss to eventual national champion Ohio State.

    The Vols are scheduled to play their Orange & White spring game Saturday.

    Information from ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Chris Low and Max Olson contributed to this report.