Ron Rivera `Not a Fan' of Players Returning From the NFL to College

While awaiting direction from the ACC, Cal football athletic director and general manager Ron Rivera made it clear Wednesday where he stands on the issue of players returning from NFL training camps and expecting additional college eligibility.

“This is just my personal opinion, but I’m not a fan of it," Rivera said. “I think when somebody makes a decision, goes in a certain direction, they’ve made their decision.

“I’m not sure it’s a good message when you allow that to, `Oh, I’ve changed my mind.’ Once they start engaging, get involved, I think they need to be held to it.”

The issue has surfaced in the wake of the NCAA announcing in June new eligibility rules which give athletes five years to play five seasons.

Two players with one year of eligibility remaining have left NFL training camps, announcing their intention to return college and play for LSU.

The SEC — where LSU plays — and the Big Ten both announced Tuesday they are implementing rules that prohibit players returning to play in college after spending time with an NFL team. So there will likely be further give and take between LSU and the conference.

ESPN reported Wednesday that Big 12 athletic directors are unanimous in their intention to ban professional athletes from returning to college to compete in any sport.

Likewise, the NFL provided some clarity on the topic from its own point of view on Wednesday.

For Rivera, a former NFL player and head coach who was an All-America linebacker at Cal in the early 1980s, the whole concept of dismantling the traditional college eligibility landscape is almost more than he can wrap his head around.

"I’m disappointed that people are looking for ways to cheat the system or beat the system,” he said. “I’d like to see a system that’s put in place and can really help.”

Rivera confirmed that the ACC, where Cal competes, is currently considering its response.

“I know the ACC’s taking a nice, long look at it,” he said. “This is a very important decision and needs to be discussed.”

Curiously, Cal’s season opening opponent, UCLA, apparently will have the services of linebacker Trent Hendrick, who just transferred to Westwood after playing at James Madison under new Bruins coach Bob Chesney.

Turns out the new rule does not apply to Hendrick, a fifth-year player who reportedly also was being recruited by Cal, because his circumstances are slightly different.

Rivera is supportive of Senate Bill 4668, the Protect College Sports Act, championed by Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.). The bill is intended to create nationwide uniformity for college eligibility and other rules and is scheduled for a vote of the full senate next month.

“It’s important to save college athletics,” Rivera said. “It’s not just football. It impacts the other sports. Here at Cal we have 30, and it impacts the other 29 as well.”

Any conference ruling — or even a senate bill — remains open to legal challenges. Rivera hopes common sense prevails.

“What you’ve got to look at is what’s good for many, not just a few,” he said. “How long are we going to allow guys to come back and play college sports? Until they’re 30? Let’s be realistic.”

Rivera believes the current landscape promotes the false hopes of college players banking on professional careers. He said little more than 1 percent of all draft-eligible college players make it to the NFL.

“Let’s start looking at the numbers and start figuring this out,” Rivera said. “That maybe getting an education is a little bit more important right now.”

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