The Southeastern Conference (SEC) announced Thursday that it will contest a temporary restraining order (TRO) in a federal court in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The order, issued by District Court Judge William Jorden, stops the league from penalizing schools that play football or basketball players who have signed contracts with the NFL, NBA or WNBA.
Legal background
Thirty‑three former professional athletes filed the original lawsuit against the NCAA, seeking to restore their eligibility to compete in college. The judge later added the SEC and its commissioner, Greg Sankey, as defendants. While the TRO is not a final judgment on the merits, it prevents the SEC from imposing its proposed sanctions until the hearing.
Proposed SEC penalties
According to multiple reports, the conference’s draft rules would allow it to suspend coaches for half a season, levy fines equal to 50% of a sport’s annual operating budget, and revoke league voting rights for schools that field former pros. The rules target football and men’s and women’s basketball programs that add players who have signed professional contracts or appeared on a pro roster.
Players affected
Among the athletes potentially impacted are former New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Zxavian Harris and former Cleveland Browns tight end Dae’Quan Wright, both committed to play at LSU this fall. Edge defender Jack Pyburn, recently released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, also hopes to join the LSU Tigers.
Upcoming hearing
The SEC’s hearing is set for Thursday, just over 48 hours before LSU opens its season against Clemson. The court will decide whether the TRO will be converted into a preliminary injunction favoring the players or whether the injunction will be stayed.
Broader context
The case follows a separate ruling by District Court Judge Martin Hoffman in Dallas, which barred the SEC from preventing a group of 41 athletes from returning to college after brief professional stints. Last week, the SEC joined the Big Ten, Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference in announcing rules that prohibit athletes from returning to college if they declared for a draft, signed a pro contract, or appeared on a professional roster.
The SEC reportedly voted unanimously (15‑0) to allow the league to sanction schools and coaches that add former professional athletes, with LSU abstaining from the vote. The legal battles come as the NCAA implements a new age‑based eligibility model, granting athletes up to five seasons within a five‑year period, while excluding those who exhausted eligibility by the end of the 2025‑26 season.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
