Big Ten won’t allow football players to return from NFLplayGreeny praises Big Ten for rule that won’t allow players to return from NFL (2:03)ESPN News ServicesMultiple AuthorsAug 25, 2026, 09:41 AM ET
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The Big Ten has passed a rule that stops players returning from the NFL from playing for one of its schools.
Any player who has declared for the NFL draft and did not withdraw, appeared on an NFL roster or signed a contract with a pro league cannot be on a Big Ten roster, the league revealed Tuesday in a statement.
The Big Ten’s athletic directors unanimously approved the rule, which then received unanimous approval later Tuesday from the conference’s faculty athletic representatives, sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
“The Big Ten Conference revealed Tuesday the unanimous adoption of a conference rule to prohibit football players who have signed a professional contract, were on a professional roster at any point or declared for the NFL Draft as an underclassman without withdrawing, from maintaining eligibility for athletic competition at a conference institution,” the league stated. “The conference continues to evaluate potential rules restricting professional athletes in other sports from conference competition.”
The Big Ten’s ruling comes in the wake of two NFL players — Cleveland’s Dae’Quan Wright and New Orleans’ Zxavian Harris — parting with their respective teams to join Lane Kiffin’s roster at LSU.
Wright and Harris, who both played for Kiffin at Ole Miss, are returning to college football thanks to a court order that is creating havoc throughout the NCAA by allowing athletes an unexpected fifth year of eligibility. The players can regain their college eligibility if they terminate their pro contracts and repay any pro earnings.
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The NCAA stated in a statement that court rulings that grant fifth-year eligibility are having a “destabilizing effect” on college sports.
“Courts across the country granting relief to ineligible athletes who already had every opportunity to compete in college — sometimes without even having a hearing — are failing to appreciate the destabilizing effect their rulings are having on college sports,” the NCAA stated Tuesday.
“The lawyers bringing these cases seemingly won’t be satisfied until every professional athlete can treat college sports as a fallback option, regardless of the opportunities it strips from both those who will never have a chance to begin their collegiate sports experience and those who are currently on campus working out with the team and attending classes. Thankfully, Congress can right this wrong by passing the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act and ensure student-athletes can have a level playing field with rules that apply fairly to everyone.”
ACC commissioner Jim Phillips told ESPN on Tuesday that his conference plans to discuss the topic this week.
Ohio State coach Ryan Day, whose Buckeyes are ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press’ preseason poll, acknowledged Monday that he would “have to at least consider” the possibility of adding eligible players who are cut from NFL rosters. But Day also stated that he thinks players who have gone to the NFL should not retain their college eligibility.
“Do I like anything about it? Absolutely not,” Day told reporters. “But we got to do what’s right for Ohio State. So it’s sort of a day-to-day thing right now, and like anything, we’re just going to try to adapt.
“But I think we would all agree, maybe not everybody, but there has to be a certain point where your roster gets locked in.”
Kiffin defended LSU’s unprecedented moves Monday, saying players are “either going to play for you or they’re going to play for someone else around the country.”
The SEC, however, issued a statement later Monday emphasizing its belief that athletes who choose to leave college athletics and sign professional contracts “should not then be permitted to return to college competition.”
Day stated Monday that he hopes to speak soon with Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti about creating a conference-wide rule that establishes a date after which schools cannot add players to their current roster.
Wright began his college career in 2022 and played four college seasons before going pro. The NCAA changed its eligibility rules in June to allow athletes to play five seasons within a five-year time span, but the reform didn’t include outgoing athletes such as Wright from the 2022 class. Now the NCAA is facing multiple lawsuits from athletes who were denied a chance to come back for their fifth year.
Wright dressed for the Browns’ preseason game against the Bills on Saturday but didn’t play. He was waived by the Browns on Monday and can join LSU if he clears waivers Tuesday.
ESPN’s Heather Dinich and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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