Nike or Adidas for the Vols?
Tennessee Athletics stands at a crossroads as its Nike apparel contract nears its June 2026 expiration. Discussions with both Nike and Adidas are underway, with no formal offers yet. Adidas, which outfitted Tennessee from 1997 to 2014, is aggressively pursuing a reunion, reportedly prepared to offer significant cash to secure the deal. Nike, however, holds a contractual advantage with a 15-day “first right of refusal” to match any competing offer, giving them the final say.
Many of the fans probably don’t care, but I am going to be honest. There is just something about Nike football jerseys that reflects winning. Not only do I personally think they look better than what Adidas offered, but just about every single school that has won the CFB Playoff or BCS Championship has rocked Nike uniforms.
Auburn was the only school that did not wear Nike (Under Armour), and Michigan wore Jordan Brand uniforms during their 2023 Championship run which are technically a subsidiary of Nike.
Ironically, the last team to win a CFB Championship that worse Adidas…the Tennessee Vols in 1998.
Sue me for wanting to wear the brand that makes up essentially every winning team this millenium. People will argue that it’s not the uniform but the players that wear them. Well, I think there is some college football voodoo, and it is telling the world that Nike is the way to go.
This is where it gets interesting. Apparently, Adidas wants Tennessee. Badly. And they are willing to provide the Vols a hefty payday to win their business. With the current landscape of CFB in the NIL world, we all know that it’s now all about the money. So if Adidas is willing to back up the Brinks truck to Knoxville, can Danny White say no to that?
As previously mentioned, Nike will have an opportunity to come back and counter within 15 days of the offer, but I am skeptical they would match a top-dollar bid from Adidas with all of the other monster deals they have with Oregon, Texas, Alabama, etc.
Oh, what a time.
Joey Aguilar Makes it to Knoxville
Tennessee transfer quarterback Joey Aguilar arrived in Knoxville on Monday. Per On3’s Volquest, the former Appalachian State standout spent Monday evening at head coach Josh Heupel’s home. He has already logged time in the film room and coaches’ offices this week, working alongside Heupel and quarterbacks coach Joey Halzle to get a grasp on Tennessee’s offense. The key question will be how quickly can he adapt? With a young roster, Heupel and Halzle are having to invest significant time with the quarterback room, especially with none of the quarterbacks having taken significant snaps for the Vols.
Aguilar’s dual-threat ability and experience under center makes him a potentially good fit for Tennessee’s system this season. Only time will tell if that will be enough for him to overtake Rs Fr Jake Merklinger and True Fr George MacIntyre who got reps this spring. As finals wrap up, most players will head home for a brief 7-10 day break. They’ll return by Memorial Day weekend to kick off offseason workouts in June.