Big 12 Bans Former NFL Players From Returning to College Sports

Over the last several years, name, image and likeness has transformed college football, reshaping how players are recruited, retained and compensated. But as the 2026 season begins, the sport is facing a new question: What happens when players who have already entered professional football want to come back?

That question emerged when former NFL players sought to return to college football after their professional opportunities ended.

Dae’Quan Wright, an undrafted tight end who signed with the Philadelphia Eagles before being waived and later joining the Cleveland Browns, sought to return to college and play for LSU under former Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin. Defensive lineman Zxavian Harris, who signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent after playing at Ole Miss, also sought to return to LSU.

Players taking extra time in college is not necessarily unusual. The COVID-19 pandemic created additional eligibility opportunities, and changes to NCAA eligibility rules have continued to extend some college careers.

But returning after signing a professional contract or appearing on a professional roster raises a different question.

The issue goes beyond eligibility. Allowing former professional players to return could affect roster spots, scholarships and playing time for athletes already in a program. Coaches could also find themselves making late roster decisions after spending months recruiting high school players and transfers.

Big 12 Draws the Line on Professional Players

The conference announced that its member institutions unanimously adopted a rule prohibiting professional athletes from being rostered in any Big 12-sponsored sport, regardless of whether an athlete is otherwise considered eligible by the NCAA.

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Under the rule, a Big 12 school cannot roster an athlete who has declared for a professional sports draft and failed to withdraw on time, been listed on a professional sports league roster or signed a contract with a professional sports league to provide athletic services.

The Big 12’s decision came as other major conferences adopted similar restrictions on former professional athletes returning to college sports.

Those rules, however, are already being tested in court.

A Louisiana judge temporarily blocked the SEC from enforcing its restriction against former professional athletes, and the fight escalated Thursday when the SEC filed a federal lawsuit against LSU over the school’s efforts to bring former NFL players into its program.

That means the question is far from settled. Conferences are trying to establish their own limits while athletes continue to challenge eligibility restrictions in court.

What It Means for TCU

For TCU, the Big 12’s decision removes one more variable from an already complicated roster-building process.

The Horned Frogs can continue building through recruiting, the transfer portal and returning players without the possibility of former NFL players suddenly entering the conference and competing for roster spots.

NIL, the transfer portal and expanded eligibility have already changed how coaches build their teams. The Big 12’s new rule establishes another boundary: once a player crosses certain professional thresholds, the conference intends to close the door on a return to Big 12 competition.

Whether conference-level restrictions ultimately withstand legal challenges remains another question as eligibility disputes continue across college sports.

The larger question isn’t going away. As college athletics continues to look more professional, where exactly should the line between college and professional sports be drawn?

For now, the Big 12 has drawn its own.

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