SEC to Enforce Court Order, Allowing Schools to Sign Former NFL Players with Fifth-Year Eligibility

NBC Sports • 29 Aug 16:16

The SEC announced it will comply with a court ruling that prevents sanctions against schools that sign former NFL athletes who have been granted a fifth year of eligibility by the courts.

NBC Sports • 28 Aug 20:32

A Louisiana judge and a Dallas judge issued temporary restraining orders preventing the SEC from penalizing member schools that roster players with prior NFL contracts, citing prior rulings that allow such athletes to return to college football.

NBC Sports • 27 Aug 22:57

A Dallas federal judge granted a temporary restraining order blocking the SEC, NCAA and commissioner Greg Sankey from enforcing a rule that would deny fifth-year eligibility to players from the 2022 high school class.

Fox News • 27 Aug 14:28

Governor Jeff Landry publicly supported LSU's effort to recruit athletes cleared by court orders, while the SEC moves to enforce new eligibility guidelines that would restrict such players.

Yahoo Sports • 26 Aug 23:32

The Big Ten, SEC and Big 12 have voted to bar athletes who have signed professional contracts from rejoining college teams, and the ACC is considering a comparable policy.

NFL.com • 26 Aug 22:29

The league reiterated that athletes who leave the NFL to resume college football will be ineligible for the 2026 NFL season and will only become free agents for 2027.

The New York Times • 26 Aug 20:01

SEC presidents voted to impose sanctions on member schools that recruit athletes with prior professional experience, while LSU did not participate in the vote.

ESPN • 26 Aug 19:12

The league will tell clubs that any player who returns to NCAA competition will be ineligible to sign with an NFL team for the upcoming season, while confirming existing free-agent rules.

FootballScoop.com • 26 Aug 16:07

The SEC announced that schools and head coaches who sign former NFL or NBA players in violation of its new rule will face a half-season suspension for coaches, loss of voting rights for schools and fines equal to half of the sport’s annual operating budget.

NBC Sports • 26 Aug 14:14

Reports claim LSU and coach Lane Kiffin contacted NFL-contracted players to persuade them to file lawsuits against the NCAA and consider returning to college, raising questions of potential tortious interference.

NBC Sports • 26 Aug 13:48

A lawyer representing players challenging conference bans plans to ask a court to hold the NCAA in contempt for allowing the Big Ten and SEC to restrict athletes who have signed NFL contracts.

NBC Sports • 25 Aug 23:36

The Big Ten and SEC adopted rules prohibiting athletes who have signed professional contracts or declared for the draft without withdrawing from competing for member schools, amid recent court rulings on eligibility extensions.

CBS Sports • 25 Aug 21:47

The Big Ten voted to prohibit former NFL players from using a fifth year of eligibility and will suspend coaches for half the remaining games, while the SEC announced a similar policy.

FootballScoop.com • 25 Aug 19:50

LSU is reported to have approached NFL players to join a lawsuit seeking the right to return to college football if they are cut, according to a CBS Sports report.

Bleacher Report • 25 Aug 19:44

The Big Ten voted unanimously to prohibit athletes who have signed NFL contracts or appeared on an NFL roster from rejoining a Big Ten football team, joining the SEC in opposing such returns.

Bleacher Report • 25 Aug 19:44

The Big Ten voted unanimously to prohibit athletes who have signed NFL contracts or appeared on an NFL roster from rejoining a Big Ten football team, joining the SEC in opposing such returns.

Bleacher Report • 25 Aug 17:09

The Big Ten voted unanimously to prohibit athletes who have signed NFL contracts or appeared on an NFL roster from rejoining a Big Ten football team, joining the SEC in opposing such returns.

Yahoo Sports • 25 Aug 14:04

A federal appeals court has paused a lower-court order that would have granted a fifth year of eligibility to members of the 2022 high-school class, affecting athletes across multiple sports and prompting a wave of state lawsuits.

ESPN • 25 Aug 13:41

The Big Ten will adopt a rule barring athletes who have signed NFL contracts or appeared on an NFL roster from rejoining a Big Ten football program, amid ongoing legal challenges over fifth-year eligibility.

theScore • 23 Aug 16:52

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning said players who attend NFL training camps should not be permitted to rejoin college teams, citing roster limits and fairness concerns, as a court order temporarily restores eligibility for 16 former college athletes.

CBS Sports • 22 Aug 17:52

A federal appeals court halted a nationwide ruling that granted an extra year of eligibility to the 2022 class, leaving many players dependent on individual court orders while new legal actions are expected.

AP News • 21 Aug 17:19

A U.S. 10th Circuit panel temporarily suspended a district court ruling that would have granted thousands of former college athletes an additional year of eligibility, pending further appeal.

On3 • 21 Aug 16:18

A Kentucky judge issued a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction that gives Missouri basketball star Mark Mitchell a fifth year of eligibility and opens a one-week transfer portal window.

CBS Sports • 21 Aug 15:56

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit denied a request for a broader fifth-year eligibility for the 2022 class, leaving most players ineligible unless they hold separate court orders.

NBC Sports • 21 Aug 15:40

A federal appeals court has stayed a district court order that would have granted first-year NFL players an additional year of college eligibility, pending a full appeal.

NFL Rumors - ProFootballRumors.com • 21 Aug 05:17

Four current NFL players have joined a lawsuit aiming to regain NCAA eligibility for the 2026 season, seeking contract releases that would allow them to return to college football.

Yahoo Sports • 21 Aug 00:40

A Louisiana judge allowed NFL hopefuls, including former Ole Miss tight end Dae'Quan Wright, to join the NCAA transfer portal while lawsuits seek a fifth year of eligibility for players affected by new NCAA rules.

CBS Sports • 20 Aug 20:35

A temporary restraining order from a Louisiana court permits certain NFL players to challenge NCAA rules and seek a return to college football, sparking speculation about a surge in similar lawsuits and roster implications ahead of the season.

NBC Sports • 19 Aug 23:59

Sixteen NCAA athletes, including three on NFL 90-man rosters, obtained a temporary restraining order allowing them to return to college football if they are released during roster reductions.

espn.com • 19 Aug 19:47

Three former Ole Miss starters who signed NFL contracts were granted a temporary restraining order allowing them to return to college for a fifth season, joining dozens of athletes in similar lawsuits against the NCAA.