For a second there, it sure seemed like a move from Illinois to Knoxville could potentially be on the way for Northwestern signal-caller Mike Wright. With the portal officially opening up, Wright is looking for a new home and Tennessee football fans had their eyes on him.
Wright raised some eyebrows when he posted a picture of him and his brother on social media, with the two decked out in Tennessee gear. The assumption was that maybe Wright was eyeing joining the Vols and pushing for the starting job in 2025. It turns out that won't be the case, though, as the QB posted on Twitter to clear things up a bit:
This is just a picture and me saying how proud I am of my brother😂
— ⁵Mike Wright₅ (@mike5wright) April 16, 2025
My bad Vol Nation. https://t.co/vEjquzOBEu
Northwestern transfer Mike Wright cleared up Tennessee rumors flying around
Originally a 2020 signee with Vanderbilt as the No. 14 dual-threat quarterback in the country, Wright spent the first three years of his college career with the Commodores. He then joined Mississippi State for the 2023 campaign and then was with Northwestern last fall.
Wright appeared in three games last year as the starter, tossing for 354 yards and one interception - he eventually lost the job. With his experience, he'd make sense for Tennessee, which currently only has two scholarship QBs in second-year freshman Jake Merklinger and true freshman George MacIntyre.
However, Wright made it clear that he was simply just posting a picture of him and his brother and he wasn't hinting that Tennessee was in play for him. Despite that, Heupel and his coaching staff are expected to search far and wide for some QB help via the portal.
With Nico Iamaleava reportedly off to UCLA, the door is open for a new QB arrive to make his way to campus to battle for the starting job. Who will end up being the guy? We can't wait to find out, but we for sure know that it won't be Wright.