Any player who returns to college football can't sign with NFL team for remainder of that year, league says

The adoption of a new college eligibility system — an age-based, five-year model designed to eliminate waivers, redshirts and roster logjams created by a surge of athletes in their mid-20s sticking in school — has been furiously challenged in the courts by members of the 2022 high school class who want a fifth year of eligibility.

The new eligibility system, which is replacing one that allowed four seasons of competition over five years with no age restrictions, excludes student-athletes who exhausted their eligibility during the 2025-26 academic year.

That bucket is filled with athletes who first enrolled in 2022, following high school graduation. As of an Aug. 21 report from Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger , more than 150 athletes had filed a total of 18 lawsuits across 15 states. Wins against the NCAA in state courts have allowed athletes to return to college, including football players who were in NFL training camps this offseason.

The phenomenon has bewildered NFL coaches , and, as reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter , the league clarified its eligibility rules on Wednesday.

Here's the memo the NFL sent, via Schefter:

If a player signed to an NFL contract is cut, he may return to college football, "subject to applicable NCAA eligibility rules," the memo reads.

Notably, any player who returns to college football can't join an NFL team for the remainder of that year.

"An NFL Club that signs such a player is subject to discipline by the Commissioner, including the loss of draft selections and negotiating rights to the player involved," the memo reads.

The memo also states: "… Club personnel are prohibited from entering into any undisclosed agreement or understanding with any player or player affiliate (including player agents) involving consideration to a player. This prohibition includes any agreement or understanding regarding the player's future status or opportunity to return to the Club after playing elsewhere during the 2026 season. Violations may subject Clubs to the loss of draft choices and/or fines, and Club personnel may also be subject to fines and/or suspension."

Even though a path has opened momentarily for high school class of 2022 athletes to make their way back to college for a final season of eligibility, conferences are enacting policy to prevent member institutions from rostering at least some of those athletes.

The Big Ten and SEC are chief among them .

The SEC, for instance, announced Tuesday that its institutions are not permitted to have an athlete on its roster who has previously declared for the NFL, NBA or WNBA Draft and didn't appropriately withdraw. The conference is also banning athletes who signed a contract with a team in a pro football league, including the NFL, or a team in the NBA/G League or WNBA. Those who have been listed on a pro football league roster, or that of an NBA/G League team or a WNBA team are prohibited as well.

The SEC noted that penalties will be enforced against member institutions that don't comply. As for the Big Ten, per On3's Pete Nakos , member institutions who violate its policy will face a coach suspension of 50% of contests and an institutional fine.

The Big Ten's policy applies only to football players who have signed a pro contract, were on a pro roster or declared for the NFL Draft as an underclassman without withdrawing. But the conference is considering rules restricting pro athletes in other sports from conference competition.