A Louisiana judge dropped a bombshell on college football this Thursday, granting a temporary restraining order against the NCAA that gives 16 players a fifth year of eligibility for the 2026 season. And get this: a few players who have already spent time in NFL training camps over the past few months might now be able to go back to college. This isn’t just about active college guys anymore.
NFL Rookies Could Be Heading Back to Class
ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported Thursday that this Louisiana ruling includes “several in NFL training camps this summer.” Some of these players, who are currently on NFL teams, have already told their attorney they want out of their contracts. If their NFL teams release them by September 1, they’re free to join a college roster under the order. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday, argues the NCAA is breaching its “covenant of good faith” by not letting these players get five years of eligibility, an opportunity past and future players will receive. The NCAA’s “five seasons in five years” rule is set to kick in for future classes this June, but these players want it now.
The NCAA Is Not Happy, To Say The Least
As you can imagine, the NCAA isn’t taking this lying down. Tim Buckley, their senior vice president of external affairs, put it bluntly: “Courts across the country granting relief to ineligible athletes who already had every opportunity to compete in college… are failing to appreciate the destabilizing effect their rulings are having on college sports.” He added that these lawyers “seemingly won’t be satisfied until every professional athlete can treat college sports as a fallback option.” This isn’t the only legal battle, either. Federal Judge Charlotte Sweeney in Colorado issued a similar restraining order on July 31, allowing all athletes who started their careers in the 2022-23 academic year to also play a fifth season. The NCAA has appealed Sweeney’s decision and other restraining orders.
This Louisiana ruling also includes another twist: the 16 players are now allowed to enter the transfer portal. The restraining order explicitly states the NCAA “is ordered to open the transfer portal… for one week from entry of this order.” So, expect some wild movement and maybe even some NFL rookies making an unexpected pivot back to the college game in the coming days. What a mess, right?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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