NFL, NBA, WNBA players cannot return, SEC says

NFL, NBA, WNBA players cannot return, SEC says --> Skip to main content Skip to navigation MenuESPN scores NFLNBAMLBSoccerWNBANHLNCAAFMore SportsBoxingNCAACricketF1GamingGolfHorseLLWSMMANASCARNLLNBA G LeagueNBA Summer LeagueNCAAMNCAAWNWSLOlympicsPLLRacingRN BBRN FBRugbyBananasSports BettingTGLTennisUFLMen's World CupWWEProfessional WrestlingEditionsWhere to WatchFantasyWatch NCAAFHomeScoresScheduleStandingsStatsTeamsRankingsRecruitingWhere To WatchFootball Power IndexTotal QBRSP+ RankingsPlayer RankingsFuturesOddsCollege GameDayClass RankingsAwardsSEC NetworkTickets NFL, NBA, WNBA players cannot return, SEC saysLSU Tigers59mBig Ten officially bans NFL players from returnLSU Tigers11hKiffin pushes back on eligibility double standardLSU Tigers5hDavid HaleVols LB Carter has suspension reduced to 1 gameTennessee Volunteers7hESPNSources: Vandy's Berlowitz QB1; Curtis will playVanderbilt Commodores11hEli LedermanUs or them: Kiffin defends pursuit of NFL playersLSU Tigers1dMax OlsonDuke favors consistency in tapping Eget as QB1Duke Blue Devils12hAttalah, top-10 OT in '28, commits to Texas TechTexas Tech Red Raiders7hEli LedermanTrust issues, high hopes and the safest schools: Ranking all 138 FBS teams in tiersIndiana Hoosiers12dDavid HaleWetzel: Mad about CFB eligibility chaos? 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At the conclusion of meetings with league presidents, chancellors and athletic directors Tuesday, the conference announced a strict policy on the matter, releasing details across its social media channels. Sources told ESPN's Pete Thamel that the vote to implement the policy was 16-0. With a step-by-step explanation, the SEC announced that its institutions are "not permitted to have an athlete on its roster who has: 1. Previously declared for the NFL, NBA, or WNBA draft, and did not appropriately withdraw. 2. Signed a contract with an NFL (or other professional football league), NBA/G-League, or WNBA (or affiliate) team, or ... 3. Been listed on an NFL (or other professional football league), NBA/G-League, or WNBA (or affiliate) roster." The announcement concluded with annotation that commissioner Greg Sankey "is authorized to enforce this expectation with penalties against member institutions." An SEC spokesperson later told ESPN's Heather Dinich that penalties are "to be announced." But where the Big Ten earlier in the day announced its policy for football, saying in its statement that any player who has declared for the NFL draft and didn't withdraw, appeared on an NFL roster or signed a contract with a pro league may not be on a Big Ten roster, the SEC added pro basketball, including the NBA and the WNBA, to its policy. The SEC's announcement came a day after the league office issued a statement emphasizing its belief that college athletes who choose to leave and sign professional contracts "should not then be permitted to return to college competition." That said, Monday's message didn't include language spelling out a policy or addressing any potential enforcement of one. On Tuesday, the league took further action. The fundamental principle of NCAA eligibility has been called into question again this month following a flurry of news about former Ole Miss tight end Dae'Quan Wright, who hoped to clear waivers with the Cleveland Browns so he can return to college and play for LSU in what would be a fifth season of eligibility. Wright's situation is unprecedented, but it stood to become part of a trend this year because of an ongoing legal fight between the NCAA and athletes who are pursuing a fifth year of eligibility. Wright dressed for the Browns' preseason game against the Buffalo Bills on Saturday but didn't play. He's also currently available in the NCAA transfer portal after a judge in Louisiana granted him a temporary restraining order and an opportunity to return to college for a fifth year of eligibility. Another athlete, star basketball player RJ Luis Jr., received a temporary injunction to play for LSU this season from a Louisiana judge Monday despite having signed multiple NBA contracts. In its statement Monday, the SEC said pro-to-college moves would "blur the line" between the two levels of play and "create significant competitive equity concerns, and reduce opportunities for high school and current college athletes. "College sports are for college athletes," the statement added. "The current confusion around national eligibility standards emphasizes the need to advance the Protect College Sports Act." The SEC and Big Ten do not appear to be alone in these beliefs. Later Tuesday, a source told Dinich that "Notre Dame is also totally opposed" to any pro-to-college transaction. Meanwhile, athletic directors from the Big 12 will meet Wednesday, sources told Thamel. They're expected to come to a similar conclusion to the SEC and Big Ten on football athletes returning to school, but they have not yet formalized what the conference's policy will say.

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Source: ESPN

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