The NFL sent a very clear message to every team this week that any player who bolts back to college football is locking himself out of the league for the rest of 2026.
The memo, obtained by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, came on Wednesday after a chaotic time in the NCAA that had several pro players scrambling for a fifth year of college eligibility.
The memo sent to all teams: https://t.co/sEcGZBoeHJ pic.twitter.com/y03SMdLYEV
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 26, 2026
The memo states that any player who returns to a college roster this season will not be eligible to sign with an NFL team until next year at the earliest.
The league also reissued a reminder to clubs about a rule that already exists. If a player signs an NFL contract and then is cut, he becomes a free agent, free to sign with another NFL team, jump to the CFL or head back to school.
But if that player opts for college, he is treated as a free agent from then on and is not bound to a future draft class.
The Players Who Began It
The confusion stems from two names: Dae’Quan Wright of Cleveland and Zxavian Harris of New Orleans.
They both left their NFL teams to play for coach Lane Kiffin at LSU, following him after playing together at Ole Miss.
A court ruling enabled players from the 2022 recruiting class to participate in an unanticipated additional season.
Wright cleared waivers and is expected to sign with LSU. Harris is on a similar path after being waived by the Saints.
Conferences are making their own lines
The fallout is quickly spreading. The Big Ten and SEC have already told their member schools they can’t put NFL players back on their rosters, and the ACC and Big 12 have done the same.
The penalty imposed by the SEC is particularly severe which is; any coach who violates the rule will be suspended for half a season, the program will be fined an amount equal to half of its annual sport budget and the school will lose its voting rights in conference matters.
This eligibility battle is far from over with courts, conferences and the league all pulling in different directions.
