The National Football League announced Wednesday that any player who leaves the league to return to college football will be barred from playing in the 2026 season. NFL senior vice president Troy Vincent reminded members of the league’s longstanding rule, adding that a player who makes that choice would become a free agent for the 2027 season.
Conference reactions
The statement came one day after the SEC and Big Ten conferences announced they will not allow former NFL roster players to compete for their member schools. Leaders of the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big 12 are also reviewing the issue, signaling a possible nationwide alignment among the Power Five conferences.
Players caught in the policy
Two undrafted free agents who signed with NFL teams this offseason are seeking to return to college. Tight end Dae’Quan Wright, a 2022 Ole Miss graduate, signed with the Philadelphia Eagles after going undrafted, was waived on Aug. 10, claimed by Cleveland, and then released again on Aug. 12. He now hopes to enroll at LSU and play for former Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin.
Defensive lineman Zxavian Harris, also a 2022 Ole Miss alumnus, signed with the New Orleans Saints in May, participated in the offseason program, and was placed on the non‑football injury list before being waived on Aug. 8. He, too, wants to return to college and join Kiffin’s staff at LSU.
Eligibility rules and lawsuits
Both players exhausted their four years of NCAA eligibility before entering the draft. In June, the NCAA adopted a rule allowing athletes who began college in 2023 or later to have five years to play five seasons. That rule does not apply to Wright and Harris, who entered college in 2022, and they are among a group of athletes suing the NCAA, arguing the league’s eligibility limits deprive them of education and potential name‑image‑likeness (NIL) earnings.
College football officials weigh in
Cal football general manager Ron Rivera expressed support for the ACC, Big Ten and SEC taking a hard line on former pros re‑entering college play. “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 rulings
In Tennessee, the Court of Appeals upheld an NCAA motion that halted an order granting former Vanderbilt basketball player Jalen Washington and 18 other athletes a fifth year of eligibility. The ruling gives the NCAA a win in ongoing litigation across multiple states, including recent stays of injunctions in Ohio, New Jersey and a federal court in Colorado.
The NFL’s reaffirmation of its policy underscores the league’s commitment to preserving the integrity of both professional and collegiate competition, while college conferences and courts continue to grapple with the evolving landscape of athlete eligibility and NIL compensation.
Original reporting: KOCO Sports (Oklahoma City) — read the source article.
