Appeals court halts ruling on extra college athlete eligibility

A federal appeals court has temporarily halted a ruling that would have granted thousands of college athletes an extra year of eligibility. The decision by the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver pauses a previous district court order that benefited athletes from the high school graduating class of 2022. These players had previously exhausted their eligibility under old NCAA rules but were seeking a fifth year of competition and associated educational and NIL opportunities.

The NCAA has contested the ruling, arguing that allowing formerly ineligible athletes to return disrupts rosters that schools have already built in reliance on existing regulations. While the appeals court decision puts the nationwide eligibility expansion on hold, some athletes who secured separate rulings through state courts may still remain eligible to play this season.

The legal uncertainty has already impacted individual players. For example, former Ole Miss tight end Dae’Quan Wright was recently seen on the sideline for the Cleveland Browns during a preseason game, even as discussions regarding his potential return to college football continued amid the shifting legal landscape.