Cleveland Browns tight end Dae’Quan Wright warms up before a preseason NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Troy Vincent speaks during a news conference at an NFL football owners meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
The Big 12 Conference on Wednesday followed the Southeastern and Big Ten conferences in banning players who were on NFL rosters from returning to college.
The decision by the Big 12 came a day after rulings by the SEC and Big Ten. Earlier Wednesday, the NFL made it clear that players who leave the NFL to return to college won’t be allowed to come back to the league this season.
NFL executive Troy Vincent reiterated the longstanding policy at the league’s meetings Wednesday, saying any player who returns to college would not be eligible to play in the NFL until 2027.
