With Tennessee Athletics' contract with Nike expiring on June 30, 2026, there have been reports surfacing of the department considering a switch to Adidas.
This news has been received with varying responses, as some are up in arms while others are okay with the change.
A number of Tennessee football players took to their Instagram stories on Tuesday to side with the displeased group of the dispute.
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Daevin Hobbs: 'Keep the check'
Defensive lineman Daevin Hobbs posted a story replying to a post from @talkin.vawls featuring an image of Tennessee Athletic Director Danny White. The post featured text that read 'JUST DON'T DO IT' with Nike and Adidas logos.
Hobbs wrote on his story 'Keep the check' with a facepalm emoji.
Hobbs enters his junior season with the Vols as a key piece on the interior of the defensive line. He has produced 34 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and one sack in two seasons.
He was a four-star recruit in the 2023 class.
Other Tennessee players not happy
Wide receivers Braylon Staley and Travis Smith Jr. and defensive lineman Ethan Utley also weighed in with emojis showing their displeasure.
The post their stories replied to featured an image of Dont'e Thornton Jr., a former Vols receiver, with the title 'BACK TO ADIDAS' posted by @thecollegefootballu.
A separate image in the post featured a Twitter/X post from user 'Richard G. West' indicating Adidas had 'presented terms' to the university. 'West' is a notable parody account that has gained notoriety for duping journalists and media members with their posts.
Staley enters his second season with Tennessee and is projected to start in the slot for the Vols. Smith and Utley are both four-star true freshmen who are projected to play roles off the bench in year one.
Tennessee has signed with Adidas before
Tennessee previously signed a deal with Adidas in 1995. The Vols donned Adidas uniforms on the gridiron while dominating in the 1990s, including the program’s most recent football national title in 1998.
The deal lasted 16 years before the switch to Nike in 2015. An extension was signed in October 2016 by former athletic director Dave Hart that added three years to the contract.
Noah Taylor of VolReport has more details of the current contract with Nike here.
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