NFL rookies seek release to play college football in 2026
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.
A federal judge’s July ruling granting a fifth year of eligibility to athletes who began college in the 2022-23 season opened a legal pathway for more than 30 players to seek reinstatement for the 2026-27 college football year. Four NFL rookies – Browns tight end Dae’Quan Wright, Seahawks running back Anthony Hankerson, Cardinals safety Wydett Williams and Buccaneers linebacker Jack Pyburn – have joined the suit, asking to be released from their professional contracts by Sept. 1 so they can join a college team for the 2026 season.
Several other players, including Wright, Seahawks running back TJ Harden, former Ole Miss defensive tackle Zxavian Harris and former BYU offensive lineman Weylin Lapuaho, have already entered the transfer portal, according to CBS Sports and 247Sports.
The lawsuit follows the NCAA’s June rule change that now limits athletes to five seasons within five years, eliminating many of the waivers previously used to extend eligibility. While the ruling was expected to bring many athletes back to college sports, the prospect of NFL players returning after signing pro contracts is without precedent.
NFL teams are adjusting to the situation. The Browns have been working with multiple tight ends after Wright missed training camp, and the players involved received signing bonuses (no more than $25,000) and guaranteed salaries ($100,000 for Williams and Pyburn, $25,000 for Wright). Those guarantees have been paid, and the salaries would become due if the players are released before final roster cuts. The NFL’s collective bargaining agreement does not address contract termination in this context, leaving clubs uncertain about recouping the guarantees.
Both leagues face an untested scenario, as no player has previously returned to the NCAA after signing an NFL contract. Pyburn and Williams have already appeared in preseason games, with Pyburn recording two sacks for the Buccaneers.