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Dallas Cowboys star Micah Parsons voiced his frustration with the state of college football on Friday, following reports surrounding Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Nico Iamaleava’s contract holdout over his Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deal.
Iamaleava Reportedly Seeking NIL Pay Increase
Iamaleava, who recorded 2,616 passing yards and 19 touchdowns during Tennessee’s 10-3 campaign in 2024, allegedly sat out of practice this week. Reports suggest he’s demanding a raise in his NIL deal—from $2.4 million to $4 million annually.
This sparked heated discussions across social media platforms, drawing in comments from fans, analysts, and athletes—including Parsons.
Micah Parsons Sounds Off on Social Media
The former Penn State linebacker, now one of the NFL’s premier defenders, didn’t hold back in his criticism of how college football has evolved.
“College football a joke now! Yall minds well just make college into a semi pro league! Actually hold players accountable to the contracts they sign!” Parsons posted on X (formerly Twitter).
In a follow-up post, Parsons pushed back against the idea that college football has always operated like a semi-pro system, with players receiving compensation under the table.
“Nah college was never about money! College is bout building character!” he added. “I am the man I am today because of the brotherhood and the amazing coaches I’ve had during my time at Penn State!
"We are failing kids now because life isn’t easy and we are allowing them to quit!"
Broader Implications for College Athletics
Iamaleava’s situation is just one of many highlighting the challenges NCAA programs now face in the NIL era. Many insiders believe the landscape of college sports could change drastically if oversight isn't implemented soon.
NCAA Commissioners Urge Congressional Action
Amid growing concerns, top NCAA conference commissioners visited Capitol Hill last week, appealing to lawmakers for a federal NIL framework.
Greg Sankey (SEC), Jim Phillips (ACC), Brett Yormark (Big 12), and Tony Petitti (Big Ten) all emphasized the urgent need for legislation to standardize NIL regulations across states.
Yormark told Bret Baier on Special Report:
“From where I sit today, federal pre-emption, having a standardized platform that oversees and governs NIL is critically important. Today, 34 states see it very differently, and it’s relatively unruly.”
Tony Petitti echoed that sentiment:
“The volume of laws that are being passed on a state level are making it really difficult for us to regulate and compete nationally. Every single time someone doesn’t like a ruling, or something comes from the NCAA, we end up in litigation. Those rules then get aggregated, and we’re back to the start.
“We’re hopeful that the combination of what we’ve done in the settlement will give us an opportunity, with some help from Congress, to really put a system in a place that has some stability.
"We’ve crossed the bridge of being willing to provide revenue … but we need to have some structure. We can’t have a system that has complete unregulated movement.”
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