Court order gives players under pro contracts a chance to return to college sports
<p>Several athletes, including some who signed contracts with NFL teams, were granted a temporary restraining order by a Louisiana court that would make them eligible to return to college athletics, ESPN reported Wednesday.</p><p>Former Oregon State running back Anthony Hankerson (Seattle Seahawks), former Florida and LSU pass rusher Jack Pyburn (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and ex-Mississippi starters Dae'Quan Wright (Cleveland Browns) and Wydett Williams (Arizona Cardinals) are on NFL rosters and were part of the lawsuit.</p><p>NFL teams are deep into training camp, and rosters have to be cut to 53 players by Aug. Many who don't make those clubs could look for a fallback plan in college football, barring a successful appeal by the NCAA.</p><p>According to ESPN, 16 football players were part of the lawsuit that included 33 athletes across several sports who are seeking a fifth year of eligibility.</p><p>The NCAA has been dealt a series of legal setbacks regarding its eligibility rules.</p><p>"Courts across the country granting relief to ineligible athletes who already had every opportunity to compete in college — sometimes without even having a hearing — are failing to appreciate the destabilizing effect their rulings are having on college sports," Tim Buckley, NCAA senior vice president of external affairs, said in a statement.</p><p>"The lawyers bringing these cases seemingly won't be satisfied until every professional athlete can treat college sports as a fallback option, regardless of the opportunities it strips from those who will never have a chance to begin their collegiate sports experience."</p><p>On July 31, a federal court in Denver ruled that all high school class of 2022 athletes who exhausted their fourth season of college eligibility this spring are eligible for a fifth season this academic year.</p><p>That decision came a little more than a month after the NCAA passed a rule that gives athletes five years to complete five seasons of competition, starting with those who enroll in the fall of 2027.
Reported by 2 outlets — Chicago Sun-Times, ESPN. See all sources ↓
<p>Several athletes, including some who signed contracts with NFL teams, were granted a temporary restraining order by a Louisiana court that would make them eligible to return to college athletics, ESPN reported Wednesday.</p><p>Former Oregon State running back Anthony Hankerson (Seattle Seahawks), former Florida and LSU pass rusher Jack Pyburn (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and ex-Mississippi starters Dae'Quan Wright (Cleveland Browns) and Wydett Williams (Arizona Cardinals) are on NFL rosters and were part of the lawsuit.</p><p>NFL teams are deep into training camp, and rosters have to be cut to 53 players by Aug. Many who don't make those clubs could look for a fallback plan in college football, barring a successful appeal by the NCAA.</p><p>According to ESPN, 16 football players were part of the lawsuit that included 33 athletes across several sports who are seeking a fifth year of eligibility.</p><p>The NCAA has been dealt a series of legal setbacks regarding its eligibility rules.</p><p>"Courts across the country granting relief to ineligible athletes who already had every opportunity to compete in college — sometimes without even having a hearing — are failing to appreciate the destabilizing effect their rulings are having on college sports," Tim Buckley, NCAA senior vice president of external affairs, said in a statement.</p><p>"The lawyers bringing these cases seemingly won't be satisfied until every professional athlete can treat college sports as a fallback option, regardless of the opportunities it strips from those who will never have a chance to begin their collegiate sports experience."</p><p>On July 31, a federal court in Denver ruled that all high school class of 2022 athletes who exhausted their fourth season of college eligibility this spring are eligible for a fifth season this academic year.</p><p>That decision came a little more than a month after the NCAA passed a rule that gives athletes five years to complete five seasons of competition, starting with those who enroll in the fall of 2027. The Colorado ruling eliminated the waiting period.<br></p>
Read the full report at Chicago Sun-Times ↗
Why it matters
2 outlets are covering this world story — one to watch as reporting develops.
- What's the story?
- <p>Several athletes, including some who signed contracts with NFL teams, were granted a temporary restraining order by a Louisiana court that would make them eligible to return to college athletics, ESPN reported Wednesday.</p><p>Former Oregon State running back Anthony Hankerson (Seattle Seahawks), former Florida and LSU pass rusher Jack Pyburn (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and ex-Mississippi starters Dae'Quan Wright (Cleveland Browns) and Wydett Williams (Arizona Cardinals) are on NFL rosters and were part of the lawsuit.</p><p>NFL teams are deep into training camp, and rosters have to be cut to 53 players by Aug. Many who don't make those clubs could look for a fallback plan in college football, barring a successful appeal by the NCAA.</p><p>According to ESPN, 16 football players were part of the lawsuit that included 33 athletes across several sports who are seeking a fifth year of eligibility.</p><p>The NCAA has been dealt a series of legal setbacks regarding its eligibility rules.</p><p>"Courts across the country granting relief to ineligible athletes who already had every opportunity to compete in college — sometimes without even having a hearing — are failing to appreciate the destabilizing effect their rulings are having on college sports," Tim Buckley, NCAA senior vice president of external affairs, said in a statement.</p><p>"The lawyers bringing these cases seemingly won't be satisfied until every professional athlete can treat college sports as a fallback option, regardless of the opportunities it strips from those who will never have a chance to begin their collegiate sports experience."</p><p>On July 31, a federal court in Denver ruled that all high school class of 2022 athletes who exhausted their fourth season of college eligibility this spring are eligible for a fifth season this academic year.</p><p>That decision came a little more than a month after the NCAA passed a rule that gives athletes five years to complete five seasons of competition, starting with those who enroll in the fall of 2027.
- How widely is it covered?
- 2 outlets, average source rating 6.0/10.
- When was it last updated?
- 3m ago.
How outlets are framing the same story
Here's how each outlet is covering the story — compare their headlines and timing at a glance.
- Coverage card1 outlet1CoverageScouting report
Court order gives players under pro contracts a chance to return to college sports
Sources1TypeCoverageChicago Sun-Times
- Coverage card1 outlet2CoverageScouting report
Multiple NFL signees granted 5th year of eligibility
Sources1TypeCoverageESPN