SEC Vows To Fight Court Order Allowing Former NFL Players To Return To College

The SEC isn't backing down in its ongoing legal battle over former professional players returning to college athletics.

ESPN's Pete Thamel shared a statement from the conference Sunday night confirming that the SEC and commissioner Greg Sankey plan to contest the allegations at a preliminary injunction hearing Thursday morning in Baton Rouge.

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"The order entered against the SEC and Commissioner Sankey is a temporary restraining order, not a final ruling on the merits," the SEC said. "The SEC and Commissioner Sankey are prepared to contest the allegations in the plaintiffs’ petition at Thursday morning’s hearing and defend the SEC’s rights as a voluntary association to fulfill its mission to its member institutions."

“In the meantime, the SEC and Commissioner Sankey will continue to comply with the Court’s order. Following the hearing, the SEC will carefully review the Court’s decision and determine the appropriate next steps.”

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A Louisiana judge amended a temporary restraining order Friday to include the SEC and Sankey, preventing the conference from punishing schools for using players covered by the order.

The development has major implications for LSU, which is expected to add former NFL players Dae'Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris to its roster. Jack Pyburn, who was waived by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, could also return to LSU if he is not picked up by another NFL team.

The SEC recently adopted a policy prohibiting players who signed professional contracts or appeared on professional rosters from returning to compete in the conference. Schools violating the policy could face significant fines, loss of voting privileges and a half-season suspension for the head coach.

For now, the SEC has said it will comply with the court order. Thursday's hearing will be the next major step in determining whether the current protections for the players remain in place.

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