SEC Takes LSU to Federal Court Over Eligibility of Former NFL Players
The SEC has filed a federal lawsuit in Alabama seeking to block LSU from adding two former NFL trainees to its football roster, after a state court in Louisiana issued an injunction allowing the players to return.
The Southeastern Conference has filed a federal lawsuit in Birmingham, Alabama, aiming to prevent Louisiana State University from placing two former NFL training-camp participants, Zxavian Harris and Dae’Quan Wright, on its football roster. The filing follows a preliminary injunction issued by a Louisiana state judge that bars the SEC and NCAA from penalizing schools that reinstate former professional athletes.
LSU President Wade Rousse said the university respects the judicial process and will review the court order while cooperating with the SEC and NCAA. He added that “college football does not deserve this kind of ambiguity in eligibility standards.”
The dispute centers on the NCAA’s new five-year eligibility rule, which excludes players who graduated high school in 2022. The SEC and three other Power Five conferences have adopted rules prohibiting former professionals from returning to college competition. In its complaint, the SEC argues that allowing LSU to field the ex-pros would violate its “Professionalism Rules,” which it describes as essential for competitive fairness and the distinction between college and professional sports.
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey testified in the Louisiana case, and the conference issued a statement asserting that member institutions have the right to set and enforce such standards. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, representing the athletes, called the SEC’s federal suit “legal garbage,” while Governor Jeff Landry criticized the SEC’s position, saying the players were not long-time professionals but athletes who sought the only available opportunity after the NCAA’s eligibility change.
LSU, currently ranked 11th, is scheduled to open its season against Clemson on Saturday. The outcome of the federal case could determine whether the Tigers can field the two former pros before roster deadlines on Friday night.