The Big Ten ruled on Tuesday that its schools will not be allowed to accept players returning from the NFL.
The rule declared that players who did not withdraw from the NFL draft after declaring, appeared on an NFL roster, or signed a contract will not be allowed to play for a Big Ten school. Sources confirmed to ESPN that the rule received unanimous approval from the Big Ten athletic directors, adding that teams found “in violation of the rule would be subject to its head coach being suspended for 50 percent of its remaining games plus an undisclosed fine.”
The league confirmed the conference rule in an announcement on Tuesday.
“The Big Ten Conference announced Tuesday the unanimous adoption of a conference rule to prohibit football players who have signed a professional contract, were on a professional roster at any point, or declared for the NFL Draft as an underclassman without withdrawing, from maintaining eligibility for athletic competition at a conference institution,” the league said.
“The conference continues to evaluate potential rules restricting professional athletes in other sports from conference competition,” it added.
The ruling came after two NFL players left the NFL to join LSU
“The Big Ten’s ruling comes in the wake of two NFL players — Cleveland’s Dae’Quan Wright and New Orleans’ Zxavian Harris — parting with their respective teams to join Lane Kiffin’s roster at LSU,” added ESPN.
“Wright and Harris, who both played for Kiffin at Ole Miss, are returning to college football thanks to a court order that is creating havoc throughout the NCAA by allowing athletes an unexpected fifth year of eligibility. The players can regain their college eligibility if they terminate their pro contracts and repay any pro earnings,” it added.
The NCAA previously said that the rulings have caused a “destabilizing effect” on college sports, calling on Congress to pass the “Protect College Sports Act and ensure student-athletes can have a level playing field with rules that apply fairly to everyone.
“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,” the NCAA said Tuesday.
“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 both those who will never have a chance to begin their collegiate sports experience and those who are currently on campus working out with the team and attending classes,” the NCAA added.