SEC Approves Ban on Former NFL Players Including Those Drafted or Participating in Preseas
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On Tuesday, to approve a new rule banning former NFL players, including those who were drafted or participated in preseason games. The SEC opted to include former NBA and WNBA players in its rule, which the Big Ten did not. The Big Ten's penalty structure, also approved Tuesday, includes a ban on head coaches for 50% of the season and an undetermined financial penalty on the school.
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Bleacher ReportThe SEC and Big Ten on Tuesday passed rule changes that prohibit schools in their league from adding players who have previously declared for the NFL, NBA or WNBA drafts and did not withdraw within the allowed timeframe.
ESPNSEC to suspend coaches who add pro players SEC schools that bring back NFL, NBA or WNBA players to their programs will face steep discipline under a new policy unanimously approved by the conference's 16 members, sources confirmed to ESPN.
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Per ESPN, a player who goes back to college this season will be prohibited from signing with an NFL team during the 2026 season. A player who signs an NFL contract and is subsequently cut becomes a free agent. While he may sign with another NFL club, join the CFL or return to college, he is considered a free agent and will not be subject to a future draft.
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Bleacher ReportSchefter also noted that a player who returns to college football this year will not be able to sign with an NFL team this season.
ESPNSources: NCAA defectors can't play in NFL in '26 The NFL will inform its teams that any player who returns to the college ranks will be prohibited from signing with an NFL team this season, sources told ESPN.
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One of the most notable names in that case is former Cleveland Browns tight end Dae'Quan Wright, who committed to Lane Kiffin and LSU on Tuesday after clearing waivers following his release from the Browns. If he ends up playing for the Tigers, he'll be the first player to go from an NFL roster back to college.
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CBS SportsThe league's decision to address the matter comes just days after former Browns tight end Dae'Quan Wright after clearing waivers following his release by Cleveland. Wright is the first player with NFL experience to enter the transfer portal.
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The idea of NFL players going back to college is downright puzzling for Rams head coach Sean McVay, who offered a colorful response when he heard about Wright's move from the Browns to LSU.
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Bleacher Report"I feel like I took a freakin' gummy," the Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay told reporters when asked about NFL players returning to college.
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LSU opted not to support the SEC's push to penalize programs that play former professional players in a vote Wednesday among the league's university presidents and chancellors, sources tell CBS Sports.
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Bleacher ReportESPN's Pete Thamel reported LSU abstained from Wednesday's formal presidential vote confirming penalties for programs violating the SEC's new rule against pro players returning to the conference.
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CBS Sports' John Talty and Chris Hummer reported Tuesday "Kiffin and the Tigers reached out to multiple players on NFL rosters or their representation in an effort to get them to bring a lawsuit against the NCAA and return to school, per sources."
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CBS SportsIn fact, CBS Sports reported Kiffin and the Tigers were actively encouraging players to sue the NCAA. Kiffin, like the lawyers whose talking point he shares, is pointing to the five-for-five rule, a recent NCAA rule that says a player has five years to play five seasons.
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Kiffin was not alone in his pursuit of the players, who were initially granted a court order to return to college football. They were among the group that sued for eligibility because they weren't grandfathered into the NCAA's five-for-five rule. Kiffin is arguing that it's a one-time deal, but all of these are popping up as one-time deals over and over again.
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Bleacher ReportThat led to lawsuits across the country involving players from the high school graduating class of 2022, who were not included in the rule change, campaigning for fifth-year eligibility of their own.
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The SEC certainly tried to stand behind its rule barring interconference transfers (Wright, Harris and Williams were with Kiffin at Ole Miss) when it was a football-only issue. But then, across campus in Baton Rouge, men's basketball coach Will Wade got some good news in the way of a court allowing St. John's RJ Luis an injunction to play for him this year. Luis signed a two-way contract with the Utah Jazz this summer.
3 details only one outlet reported
Independent claims that didn't surface elsewhere in our corpus. Treat as supplementary — not corroborated across outlets.
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01 ESPN NFL to focus discipline on 5 health, safety fouls Starting with the 2026 season, the NFL will focus discipline on on-field rules violations that are most likely to result in injuries to players.
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02 Bleacher Report With a handful of NFL players attempting to return to college football, the league has clarified how returning to the collegiate level will impact those players' draft statuses.
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03 CBS Sports LSU also recently acquired former Notre Dame pass rusher Junior Tuihalamaka after the NCAA granted him another year of eligibility.
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Sources (3)
- cbssports
- bleacherreport
- espn