Power conferences are moving closer to banning former NFL players from playing within their membership across 64 schools. And the Big Ten is ready to suspend coaches who violate the new ban. On Tuesday, the Big Ten became the first conference to levy significant penalties when its athletic directors and faculty athletics representatives unanimously approved a ban on former NFL players pursuing a fifth year of eligibility within their league.
Coaches will face a suspension for 50% of their team's remaining games, and the school will also be fined for violating the new policy, sources tell CBS Sports. SEC athletic directors will meet Tuesday for a pre-scheduled session over the next two days at the conference's headquarters in Birmingham. It's not yet clear whether a similar ban will gain unanimous approval, given that LSU is already flirting with adding two former NFL players to the roster.
The ACC and Big 12 are discussing similar bans for NFL players this week, sources told CBS Sports. These developments come amid a recent push by former college players seeking another opportunity through the transfer portal, set off by court rulings allowing players seeking a fifth year of eligibility to return to college football. The Big Ten made it clear that its ban includes players who signed a professional contract, were on a professional roster, or declared for the NFL Draft without withdrawing their names.
Previously, under the Big Ten's Sportsmanship Policy, standard disciplinary measures gave the Big Ten's commissioner the leeway to levy immediate five-figure fines or hand down suspensions on his own authority, while major escalations -- including extended sideline bans or institutional sanctions -- required only the executive committee's rubber stamp. Such violations will be dealt with swiftly and with tangible punishment. At least, that's the belief.
Lawsuits from players -- and potentially schools -- are sure to follow if programs violate the policy to gain a competitive advantage, though that appears unlikely within the Big Ten after unanimous approval by the 18 schools. "The lawsuits are circumventing the NCAA, but now when the league says you can't do it, now you're dealing with problems with your conference," a power conference head coach told CBS Sports. Several head coaches told CBS Sports they would like to see further punishment, including game forfeitures, if teams play a former professional athlete.
"This is going to be a much smaller issue now (if all the conferences adopt these same rules)," a power conference head coach said. And I'd love for all this shit to get shut down. It's stupid." The SEC released a statement Tuesday night urging Congress to pass the Protect College Sports Act in September to better protect itself from such developments.
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