NFL Rookies Seek Return to College Football Amid Eligibility Legal Battles
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A growing number of players who signed NFL contracts are filing lawsuits to regain college eligibility following a Colorado court ruling.
The landscape of college football eligibility is facing new instability as players who signed NFL contracts attempt to return to the collegiate level, as CBS Sports first reported.
While District Judge Charlotte Sweeney previously granted an extra year of eligibility to members of the 2022 recruiting class who did not sign professional contracts, Sweeney clarified on Aug. 2 that NCAA rules still prohibit those who signed NFL contracts from returning. Despite this, CBS Sports reports that teams continue to contact players about returning, and some athletes are filing lawsuits to secure their eligibility and potential access to the transfer portal.
According to CBS Sports, 16 players—including former LSU standout and current Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie Jack Pyburn—were granted a temporary restraining order in Louisiana on Wednesday, which clears a path for their return to college football in 2026. Other players, such as former Arizona State All-Big 12 Myles Rowser, also received temporary restraining orders providing eligibility protection and transfer portal access.
CBS Sports also notes that Indiana defensive lineman Stephen Daley has already returned to college after the Colorado ruling, following a season in which he recorded 19 tackles for loss for the national champion Hoosiers. This surge in interest comes as the Aug. 30 NFL roster cutdown deadline approaches, prompting undrafted free agents and released rookies to explore collegiate options. The NCAA is now waiting for the United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit to rule on the Colorado preliminary injunction.