Appeals court stays injunction granting fifth year of college eligibility to NFL players
NBC Sports • • sports
Key Points:
- A federal court in Colorado initially allowed first-year NFL players to gain a fifth year of college eligibility, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit has stayed this nationwide injunction pending a full appeal.
- The ruling’s impact on other similar cases remains uncertain, with a Louisiana judge recently issuing a temporary restraining order related to former college athletes seeking additional eligibility.
- The controversy stems from the NCAA’s standard of five years of eligibility, with some players arguing that the fifth year should apply retroactively to those who used only four years.
- This legal uncertainty complicates college programs’ efforts to recruit former NFL players back for another season, highlighting tensions between long-term regulatory stability and coaches’ desire for immediate success.
- The situation remains unresolved just nine days before the start of the 2026 college football season.
