In a Wednesday meeting, NFL senior vice president Troy Vincent reminded owners and executives that the league’s longstanding rule still stands: a player who quits the NFL to return to college football cannot re‑enter the league until the following season. Under the policy, any such player would become a free agent for 2027, not eligible to play in 2026.
Conference reaction
The announcement arrived a day after the SEC and Big Ten announced they will bar former NFL players from competing for their member schools. Leaders of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and the Big 12 are now weighing whether to adopt the same stance.
Players caught in the eligibility limbo
Two undrafted free‑agents who signed this offseason are seeking to return to college at Louisiana State University, where former Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin now leads the program. Tight end Dae’Quan Wright signed with the Philadelphia Eagles after going undrafted out of Mississippi, was waived, claimed by Cleveland, and then released again. He cleared waivers and now hopes to play for LSU.
Defensive lineman Zxavian Harris signed with the New Orleans Saints, spent the offseason on the non‑football injury list, and was waived in August. He also plans to re‑join Kiffin at LSU.
Why the rule matters
Both athletes exhausted their four years of eligibility before entering the draft, meaning they do not qualify for the NCAA’s June 2023 rule change that grants players who began college in 2023 or later a five‑year window to compete in five seasons. Wright and Harris entered college in 2022, so the new rule does not apply to them.
They have joined lawsuits against the NCAA, arguing that the organization’s eligibility limits deprive them of a college education and potential name‑image‑likeness (NIL) earnings.
College football officials weigh in
Cal football general manager and former NFL player Ron Rivera said Wednesday he hopes the ACC will follow the SEC and Big Ten in rejecting former professionals. “When somebody makes a decision, goes in a certain direction, I think they’ve made their decision,” Rivera said. “I’m disappointed that people are looking for ways to cheat the system or beat the system.”
Related court action
In Tennessee, the Court of Appeals upheld an NCAA motion that paused a lower‑court order granting former Vanderbilt basketball player Jalen Washington and 18 other athletes a fifth year of eligibility. The ruling gives the NCAA a procedural win in ongoing litigation across several states, including Ohio, New Jersey, and Colorado.
The broader debate centers on the balance between protecting the integrity of college athletics and preserving the rights of athletes to pursue education and compensation opportunities. As the ACC and Big 12 deliberate, the NFL’s reaffirmation of its policy adds another layer to the national conversation about eligibility, fairness, and the future of the sport.
Original reporting: KSAT Sports (San Antonio) — read the source article.
