The Tennessee pastor kidnapped at gunpoint at a South African church — then rescued in a deadly shootout — was “upset” after learning soon after being saved that his beloved Tennessee Volunteers lost their starting quarterback.
Josh Sullivan, 45, was in captivity for a week in the city of Gqeberha when police arrived at the safe house where he was being held on Tuesday and got into a gunfight with his three kidnappers, ending with the suspects being killed and Sullivan “miraculously” unharmed.
The Maryville-based pastor was reunited with his family soon after being rescued and is now on his way back to East Tennessee.
However, Sullivan discovered while in captivity that it had been a rocky week at ol’ Rocky Top.
His friend and fellow pastor, Tom Hatley, said he reached out to Sullivan after being rescued, and during their first conversation, he revealed he was “upset over Nico,” WVLT 8 reported.
Sullivan’s wife told Hatley that the “biggest convention” she’s had with her husband was about how now former Vols quarterback Iamaleava entered the transfer portal and would not return to play next season.
“Hey, the boy was raised in East Tennessee, what can I tell ya?” Hatley gleefully said.
Now that Sullivan is returning home, Hatley had a request for the Vols’ head coach and organization on behalf of his friend.
“If Josh Heupel is listening to me or the athletic director, Danny White, let’s get this man in to see the team, let’s let him run through the T, let’s do something because he deserves it,” he said.
Running through the “T” at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville is a pre-game tradition where the school’s Southland Band forms a “T” on the field, and the team, led by Smokey the Mascot, runs through it.
However, Hatley said he understands the gravity of the situation and is thankful his friend is safe and on his way home.
Sullivan was preaching to his congregation of about 30 people at the Fellowship Baptist Church in Motherwell when four armed men broke in and abducted him on April 10.
Kidnappings in South Africa have increased by more than 264 percent in the last decade.
It was first reported that Iamaleava was in Name, Image and Likeness, or NIL, contract disputes with Tennessee, which was noteworthy considering the Spring transfer portal opens April 16 — a day before Sullivan was rescued.
Iamaleava, 20, reportedly was set to earn $2.2 million for the 2025 season in the final year of the initial deal signed with Tennessee’s NIL collective and Spyre Sports Group. As a high school junior, he put pen to paper in March 2022.
Iamaleava skipped practice with the Vols last Friday and did not play in Tennessee’s spring game the following Saturday.
The family friend denied reports that the quarterback’s absence was due to a “holdout,” or part of a negotiating tactic.
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