Court Ruling Puts Doubt on Former RB Returning to Pitt

While it has been speculated that former running back Desmond Reid could return to the Pitt Panthers, a recent court ruling has put the situation in doubt.

Nov 23, 2024; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers running back Desmond Reid (0) runs against the Louisville Cardinals during the first quarter at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Earlier in the summer, the Pitt Panthers watched as the NCAA made a rule change granting college athletes five years of eligibility. The rule change effectively eliminated the need for redshirt seasons while also scaling down the number of players who stayed in college sports for an excessive amount of time, which has increased in recent seasons due to NIL opportunities.

This prompted a wave of lawsuits from college athletes that just missed the cut-off, as they entered their collegiate careers in the 2022-23 season and were only able to play four years. While a federal judge ruled in favor of the athletes initially, the NCAA got a rare win in the courts when the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals on Aug 21 reversed the decision, removing the extra year of eligibility.

This ruling does not apply to athletes who individually filed their own lawsuits in state courts and recieved an extra year of eligibility via a temporary restraining order, however. The NCAA could still pursue appeals in those cases, and we could also see more athletes individually sue for an extra year. The former Panther with the most buzz around his possible return was running back Desmond Reid, but this latest court ruling has put that situation in doubt.

Familiar Names

After the initial ruling, several former Pitt players were quick to reenter college sports. Men's basketball players Barry Dunning Jr. and Cam Corhen entered the transfer portal soon after being rewarded a fifth year, despite having both played in NBA Summer League a month prior.

For the football program, Reid was the biggest unsolved case of the offseason. He played his junior and senior seasons at Pitt after transferring from Eastern Carolina University (ECU), and he made a big impact despite being with the team for only two seasons.

In his junior year, Reid lit up the field with 962 rushing yards, 579 receiving yards, 159 punt return yards and 10 touchdowns. Reid racked up many ACC honors through a season of highs and lows with the Panthers.

While Reid dealt with injuries his senior season, he was still a prominent force that helped Pitt win big games.

After graduating from Pitt, Reid signed with the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent, but was waived with an injury designation.

Jun 9, 2026; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills running back Desmond Reid (27) during Buffalo Bills Minicamp. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Reid reportedly was exploring a return to college football, and many Pitt fans online have been very open to him returning.

In head football coach Pat Narduzzi's press conference the morning of Aug 21, he correctly predicted "I think [the case] is gonna get thrown out", but he did say he would always try to get the best possible roster. "If Aaron Donald wanted to come back, I'd take Aaron Donald back today."

While it's looking less likely that Pitt can get one of their star players back, and they definitely lost a lot to the transfer portal, there are still players, like Ja'Kyrian Turner who stepped up in Reid's place last season, returning for the 2026 season.

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