Big Ten, SEC, Big 12 approve ban on pro players returning to college to play; ACC considering move - Yahoo Sports
Major U.S. college athletic conferences, including the Big Ten, SEC, Big 12, and ACC, have implemented bans preventing professional athletes from returning to college sports. This policy aims to maintain a clear distinction between collegiate and professional athletics.
Why it matters
This shift marks a significant change in NCAA eligibility rules, impacting how athletes transition between professional and amateur levels.
Each of the Power Four conferences have banned pro football players from joining their respective leagues.
The ACC was the last of the group to adopt policy prohibiting that kind of comeback, which has gained sudden popularity as several members of the 2022 high school class eyeing a fifth year of eligibility have turned to the courts to challenge a new NCAA eligibility model that excludes them.
The Big Ten got the ball rolling on Tuesday , officially making football players ineligible if they signed pro contracts, appeared on an NFL roster or declared for the NFL Draft as underclassmen and didn't withdraw.
"The conference continues to evaluate potential rules restricting professional athletes in other sports from conference competition," the league said in a statement, in part.
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