NCAA this week ruled a player who played professionally in the G League is eligible to still play in college. Can’t be greater recognition than this that the “amateur” title of college athletics is dead and buried.
There’s a number of hockey players who have played full seasons in the echl/ahl who are now eligible on college hockey teams
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Can Miami FB suit up Ben for another shot at saving this season?
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That is an interesting question given this NCAA ruling. If someone has eligibility left but played in a pro league and were paid to do so, can they come back to college and now finish out their eligibility if they want to. I am sure someone may test that out.
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Can’t wait to sign Crosby and Ovechkin next season!
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I don’t see an official policy, just they approved this kid, but I get the sense they would base determination on number of years pro and age.
I’d be very curious if say someone like Anthony Richardson decided he wasn’t ready to continue in the NFL and wanted to return to the SEC next year how that would go. He only played two NCAA years + COVID so he definitely has “years left”. He’s only 23 and only played two NFL seasons and one would be the equivalent of an injury redshirt.
He’ll still make too much as a backup and bounce around a few years, but there are definitely NFL wash outs after a single year that could return and make six/seven figures in the SEC.
Mike Eruzione played for the Toledo Goal Diggers for a few seasons in the 70s before becoming the captain of the famous 1980 US Olympics team.
I haven’t seen any more than I posted as far as the ruling document, but to me, this sets a precedent. And given that the NCAA can’t win a legal battle to save its life, they would likely lose this as well if a former pro athlete ever challenged.
Definitely, and I think the reason they didn’t release a policy or ruling document is for that very reason. They don’t want to wade into this murky mess for as long as they can (they are going to be dragged into it though. Its inevitable that someone who could earn six figures in college for many years but not good enough for the pros eventually wants to make a long term career of it).
I would guess the NCAA’s argument is that after leaving high school, in this specific case, he played a couple years in the g league, so he is still of college age in line with their eligibility criteria for post high school years. But even that is fuzzy due to situations often around missionaries at BYU/Utah that may be older or famous situations from the past like Chris Weinke at Florida State.
I do think the NCAA would bristle and fight (and maybe lose as you alluded to given their history) about a player who played more than 4 years professionally trying to come play in the NCAAs. At least until the number of year limits get challenged (a lot of actual lawyers have weighed in on both sides about how solid/unsolid the concept of limiting eligibility is now that they are professionalizing)
Speaking of NCAA losing in court…
Indiana safety Louis Moore, the team’s leading tackler, has been awarded an injunction against the NCAA allowing him to play the remainder of the 2025 season as the No. 11 Hoosiers look to return to the College Football Playoff. Moore filed a lawsuit in August challenging the NCAA’s five-year eligibility rule, claiming his three years at Navarro Junior College (Texas) should not counted towards his eligibility. Though the NCAA initially denied a sixth year of eligibility for Moore, a Texas judge signed off on an injunction Wednesday.
This is another case similar to Vanderbilt’s Pavia involving juco/non-NCAA years. Still waiting for the first guy who plays 4 NCAA years to fight for additional years and totally blow up college sports
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The NCAA may as well rip up the rule book. They should erase it all and replace it with one rule:
- Do whatever the hell you want.
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Can’t remember the school but I saw a goalie that just played in an NHL exhibition game is playing in the NCAA this season.
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BR says NCAA is approving sponsor patches on team jerseys. NASCAR/F1 here we go.
I want to see a team wear BetMGM patches.
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I hope we can secure the coveted Chico’s Bail Bonds sponsorship.
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Fleet enemas. Who cares, right?
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Right! We want fleet-footed athletes!
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Fleeting moments of glory becomes the mandatory post game show.
If this is true, should universities pay more taxes and lose their tax exempt status? Just throwing it out there…