Pennsylvania Quarterback Cleared to Return to Football Field

Brady Wagner of Bishop Canevin can play for his new team

OLSH 's Talen Ellis (11) makes a tackle on Bishop Canevin's Jason Cross (2) in Friday night s game at Tiger Stadium. / Ethan Morrison / For BCT / USA TODAY NETWORK

A quarterback in Pennsylvania high school football who was ruled ineligible earlier this year has been cleared to return to the field.

Brady Wagner of Bishop Canevin High School was awarded a temporary restraining order against the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association by a federal judge. He will be eligible to play for his new team for the first two weeks of the regular season.

“Praise the Lord,” Wagner posted on social media. “Blessed to win a temporary injunction to be able to play the next 2 weeks.”

Praise the Lord!! Blessed to win a temporary injunction to be able to play the next 2 weeks!! #godisgreat @SteveRSYSports @RodSteele16 @TheHook720

— Brady Wagner (@brady_wagz10) August 26, 2025

Wagner transferred to Bishop Canevin after playing for Mt. Lebanon last year. However, he was declared ineligible by both the PIAA and the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League.

“Brady is going to be a practice with the optimism of being a full participant in Saturday’s game,” his attorney, Steve Toprani told the TribHSSN (thanks to On3.com for the quotes). “We still have to talk with the coaches to make sure everybody’s comfort level is there, but I fully expect to see him under center Saturday spinning the football. That’s exciting.”

Initial Decision was Deemed to be For Athletic Purposes

In ruling Wagner ineligible to play, the WPIAL claimed that the transfer was motivated by athletics, voting unanimously to deny his eligibility. WPIAL executive director Scott Seltzer told Trib HSSN that the hearing panel found “a reasonable likelihood that Brady’s transfer from Mt. Lebanon to Bishop Canevin was materially motivated in some way by an athletic purpose relating to football.”

Back in July, Wagner posted on social media that it was “Sad in this generation how a 60 year old man can take away a kids dream without punishment” in reference to the decision. He added, “Then he tells players from (Mt.) Lebanon he was only contesting it so that I would come back to (Mt.) Lebanon to play for him.”

Sad in this generation how a 60 year old man can take away a kids dream without punishment. Then he tells players from Mount Lebanon he was only contesting it so that I would come back to Mount Lebanon to play for him.

— Brady Wagner (@brady_wagz10) July 29, 2025

Wagner’s first potential action would be this Saturday against Seton LaSalle. The temporary restraining order allows Wagner freedom to play that game and on September 5 against Steel Valley. 

Bishop Canevin competes in Class 6A in Pennsylvania. Wagner also lists himself as a baseball player on his X (formerly known as Twitter) account.