The American Conference is joining the SEC, Big Ten, ACC, Big 12, and Mountain West in banning pro players.
Multiple conferences have placed a prohibition on pro players returning to the college football ranks. This includes the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, and SEC, which have all placed a ban on professional players returning to the college ranks.
Now, another conference, the American Conference, has followed suit, per Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports.
“As college sports continue to evolve, the distinction between collegiate and professional competition must remain clear. The American Conference presidents, chancellors, and athletics directors have unanimously adopted one clear, conference-wide standard,” the statement from the conference began.
“Moving forward, institutions are prohibited from adding to a roster, or permitting competition in any conference sport, any athlete who has previously been enrolled full time at a college or university when that athlete has: Declared for any professional or supplemental draft before exhausting eligibility and failed to withdraw in a timely manner consistent with NCAA requirements to retain eligibility. Signed a contract or binding agreement with a professional league, an affiliate, or any team that is a member of such a league. Been listed on the roster of a professional sports league, an affiliate, or a team that is a member of such a league, and practices or competes with that team.”
The statement has similar wording to the ones from the power conferences, Notre Dame, and the Mountain West in clarifying what constitutes being on a roster.
“Participation in a professional tryout, when an athlete receives only actual and necessary expenses, does not trigger this policy. The American and its member institutions will continue to adhere to court decisions on eligibility matters involving any of their student-athletes. The American believes in the mission of education through sport and provides broad-based opportunities for student-athletes across 21 sports. This clear, consistent policy will preserve those opportunities and the integrity of competition for current and future student-athletes,” the statement concluded.
LSU has been the biggest culprit in bringing in former NFL players. Regardless, there is still going to be pending litigation on these players trying to get eligibility to play in 2026.
Multiple conferences have placed a prohibition on pro players returning to the college football ranks. This includes the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, and SEC, which have all placed a ban on professional players returning to the college ranks. Now, another conference, the American Conference, has followed suit, per Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports.