As rumors continue to swirl about the University of Tennessee potentially ending its long-standing apparel partnership with Nike in favor of a new deal with Adidas, several Volunteer football players have made their feelings crystal clear: they’re not happy about it. In a series of candid social media posts and off-the-record conversations with local media, current players have expressed strong opposition to the possible change, voicing concerns about tradition, performance, and brand identity.
The speculation began earlier this month when reports surfaced suggesting that Tennessee’s current contract with Nike and its Jordan Brand affiliate could be up for renegotiation. According to multiple sources familiar with the situation, Adidas has made a strong financial push to lure the Volunteers into switching apparel providers—offering a more lucrative deal than Nike’s current terms.
While university officials have yet to make any formal announcements, word of the potential move quickly made its way to the players. For many of them, the reaction has been visceral.
“Please don’t do this,” one upperclassman tweeted in response to a report linking Tennessee to Adidas. “We’re a Nike school. It’s tradition. It’s part of who we are.”
Another player added, “Not trying to be ungrateful, but switching to Adidas would be a major L. Nobody in the locker room wants that.”
This sentiment was echoed by several teammates, both publicly and privately. Players cited a number of reasons for their frustration, including the fit and feel of Adidas gear, the brand’s reputation among elite football programs, and what they see as a break in Tennessee’s identity if the change goes through.
“I grew up watching Tennessee in Nike, in those clean white and orange combinations,” said one player, who asked not to be named. “That’s the image I had when I dreamed about playing here. You throw us in Adidas, and it’s like stripping away a part of what makes Tennessee, Tennessee.”
The backlash also seems to reflect a broader cultural issue in college athletics, where apparel brand loyalty has become closely tied to recruiting, player comfort, and public image. For top-tier athletes—many of whom arrive at college after years in elite Nike or Jordan Brand circuits—a shift to another brand can feel like a downgrade.
Several current and former players took to Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) to poll fans and fellow athletes on the issue. The results were overwhelmingly in favor of staying with Nike. Some fans even tagged the university’s athletic department and key decision-makers, urging them to keep the current deal intact.
The university, for its part, has remained tight-lipped. In a brief statement to
