Texas Judge Blocks SEC Rule Barring Pro Athletes From Returning to College

A Texas judge has temporarily blocked the SEC's newly adopted rule barring certain athletes with professional ties from returning to college sports, just two days after the conference created its own eligibility restrictions in response to court rulings against the NCAA.

Dallas County District Judge Martin Hoffman signed a 14-day temporary restraining order Thursday preventing the NCAA, the Southeastern Conference and SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey from blocking 41 athletes from returning to college competition for another season.

Hoffman also ordered the NCAA to reopen the transfer portal for one week, giving athletes covered by the order an opportunity to seek roster spots at other schools.

The ruling does not require any college to sign or play an athlete, and it is not a final decision that the SEC rule or the NCAA's eligibility restrictions are unlawful. A temporary restraining order provides short-term relief while a court considers the dispute more fully.

The decision marks a rapid turn in the eligibility fight. The SEC adopted its rule Tuesday as courts continued to clear paths for athletes who had exhausted four seasons of college eligibility, including some who had already signed professional contracts or appeared on NFL rosters.

The SEC policy applies to football and men's basketball players who failed to properly withdraw from a professional draft, signed certain professional contracts, or appeared on professional rosters. Violations can bring a half-season suspension for a head coach, a fine equal to 50% of the affected sport's annual operating budget, and the loss of conference voting rights.

Among the plaintiffs are three players on NFL rosters: Kansas City Chiefs receiver Omari Evans and linebacker Wesley Bissainthe, and Dallas Cowboys receiver Jordan Hudson.

Bailey Maupin, who signed a training camp contract with the WNBA's Golden State Valkyries, and Christeen Iwuala, who signed with the Washington Mystics, are also plaintiffs. Neither has appeared in a regular-season WNBA game.

The court fight comes as the major college conferences move quickly to establish their own rules governing athletes who enter professional sports and then seek to return to college.

The Big Ten and SEC adopted restrictions Tuesday. The Big 12 followed Wednesday, and the ACC became the fourth Power conference to act Thursday. The policies differ in scope, but each creates conference-level restrictions that can apply separately from an NCAA eligibility decision.

Earlier court orders had largely focused on whether the NCAA could deny athletes another season. The SEC's new policy created a separate barrier because a player who obtained relief against the NCAA could still be prevented from competing at an SEC school under conference rules.

The Texas lawsuit directly challenges that additional restriction by naming the SEC and Sankey alongside the NCAA. Hoffman's order temporarily prevents the defendants from using the challenged rules to keep the 41 athletes out while the case proceeds.

The broader dispute stems from an NCAA change that generally allows athletes entering college under the new system to compete for five seasons during a five-year eligibility period. Many athletes who had already exhausted four seasons, including those who began college in 2022, were not automatically granted another year.

Players have since filed lawsuits around the country seeking a fifth season, arguing that excluding them from the new system denies them opportunities available to athletes who entered college later.

The issue became more complicated when courts granted relief to players who had already pursued professional football.

A Louisiana judge on August 19 temporarily protected a group that included 16 football players seeking another college season. Some had signed NFL contracts or appeared on professional rosters before seeking to return.

Former Ole Miss players Dae'Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris were among those affected. Both spent time with NFL teams before LSU coach Lane Kiffin pursued them for another college season, helping prompt the SEC and other conferences to create their own restrictions.

The Texas order does not affect the separate rules adopted by the Big Ten, Big 12 or ACC. It applies to the NCAA, SEC and Sankey in the case before Hoffman and to the athletes covered by the court's order.

The underlying dispute also remains unresolved. The SEC and NCAA can continue defending their eligibility rules as the case proceeds, while schools remain free to decide whether to offer roster spots to athletes who have received court protection.

The next hearing is scheduled for September 11, when the court is expected to consider whether the temporary relief should remain in place.