Judge says injunction doesn't cover football players who signed pro deals - ESPN

DENVER — The judge who granted the right to play another year of college sports to some athletes whose eligibility ran out last school year issued a new order Sunday that makes clear that the ruling does not include football players who signed pro contracts this summer, then had a change of heart.

U.S. District Judge Charlotte Sweeney responded to an NCAA request for clarity about her Friday ruling that granted a fifth year to athletes who graduated high school in 2022 and were not included in the new NCAA rule that allows five seasons of eligibility for Division I players.

That decision, she said, still stands, but has no impact on other NCAA rules, including its prohibition on players signing pro contracts, then coming back to college.

The ruling, as first written, had the potential to upend the upcoming college football season, as teams are starting camp and planning on the so-called «five for five» rule to take effect beginning next fall.

Extending it to players this fall granted hundreds a chance to return to school. In the direct aftermath of the decision, some media reports were listing players on NFL and CFL rosters who were signaling that they'd be open to returning to school.

But that appears to be off the table after Sweeney's clarification that said there are no changes to the NCAA's rules regarding pros; no exceptions over when athletes can enter the transfer portal; and no impact on elements of the landmark House lawsuit settlement, which dictates how many players teams can put on rosters and how much schools can pay them.

The rulings out of U.S. District Court in Denver figure to impact sports differently. Football teams, for instance, have already started practice for this season, but baseball doesn't