NFL players are currently pushing for an extra year of college football eligibility, and it’s not just a few fringe guys anymore. This isn’t about players trying out for teams; we’re talking about players *under contract* looking to leverage a new NCAA rule for some sweet NIL cash.
The Eligibility Loophole Is Getting Wild
The NCAA recently settled on a five-year eligibility agreement, designed to clean up the mess where some players were racking up six, seven, even nine years of college ball thanks to various redshirt rules. Fair enough, right? But now, players from the 2022 class, whose eligibility expired before this new five-year rule came into play, are arguing they deserve that extra year too. They feel like they got shortchanged. Before this, most of the players making noise about returning to college were guys who maybe had a tryout or two, but hadn’t actually signed an NFL deal. What’s different now? Current NFL players are stepping up, looking to jump back to college and get a piece of that NIL money pie.
Jack Pyburn Is Throwing Down The Gauntlet
The first big move in this whole saga just dropped. Former LSU edge rusher Jack Pyburn, who signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent, has filed a lawsuit against the NCAA. Pyburn inked a deal with $115,000 in guarantees. Here’s the kicker: if he gets released by the Buccaneers at the cutdown deadline, he’s set to pocket that $115,000. And get this: he could potentially keep that cash even if he decides to go back to college instead of signing on to an NFL practice squad. That’s a serious chunk of change, and it’s all pending a court ruling in his favor. Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports broke the news earlier today, with AYS Sports, mzenitz, and chris_hummer also reporting on Pyburn’s lawsuit seeking a preliminary injunction to give him the option to return to college.
Who Else Could This Hit?
If Pyburn’s lawsuit succeeds, it could set a massive precedent. For example, some Green Bay Packers players from the 2022 recruiting class could be impacted. We’re talking about guys like running back Damien Martinez, wide receiver Matthew Golden, defensive lineman Chris McClellan, edge rushers Dani Dennis-Sutton and Nyjalik Kelly, cornerback Domani Jackson, and kicker Trey Smack. Now, there’s a wrinkle: if players are only allowed to return for a fifth year if they *didn’t* declare early for the draft, then Martinez and Golden might be out of luck, since they both declared early. That would leave players like McClellan and the other EDGE guys potentially eligible. This whole thing is wild, and it’s going to be huge to see what the courts decide. If they rule in favor of Pyburn, it could reshape how we think about NFL rosters and college eligibility moving forward.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Acme Packing Company.
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