Shedeur Sanders & J.J. McCarthy Tipped for College Football Return as NFL Futures Remain Uncertain
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A wave of NFL players returning to college football grounds has put the NCAA’s new eligibility rules under a harsh national spotlight. As the sport grapples with the shifting legal standards, discussions have expanded to include Shedeur Sanders and J.J. McCarthy. Media personality Charlie Kravitz weighed in on the possibility of the passers revisiting their college fields for one more season.
“I think we’re going to see Shedeur Sanders or J.J. McCarthy play college football again,” Kravitz said on The Dominique Foxworth Show. “That’s an intrusive thought. I don’t know if it’ll actually happen. But there was the ruling that if you have eligibility left from the 2022 recruiting class, which they’re both in, you can come back and play again.
“There’s a chance that neither one of them are gonna make a 53-man roster coming out of camp. It would completely break college football, which I’m totally down for, given what they’ve done to the sport. And two, beyond getting boosters to pay Shedeur like $15 million, them unretiring his jersey for him to play at Colorado this year, it’s the perfect 2026 media story… I just was looking at, like, who are the guys who are actually gonna do it? And it’s the most Shedeur and nine thing possible.”
Back in June, the governing body implemented a new model that grants athletes five seasons of competition within a strict five-year window. That discards the medical and redshirt waivers. However, a Louisiana judge turned things around by granting a temporary restraining order against the NCAA.
The ruling provided a legal loophole for players whose traditional eligibility had expired. And they got another chance for one more year at college. This opening has already prompted rookies Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris to leave their training camps and join LSU. Since Sanders and McCarthy also belong to the class of 2022 and are eligible to make the return, Kravitz let his intrusive thoughts out.
Sanders could return to Colorado and play under his father, Deion Sanders’ command. Given his media appeal and connection to Colorado, Sanders can redeem the Buffaloes. But for now, he’s engaged in a QB1 battle against Deshaun Watson. He has already played eight games in the 2025 season and led the team to the postseason. On top of that, he’s developing into a star quarterback and receiving multiple first-team reps. Head coach Todd Monken already looks at him as a potential starter. While Watson has won the starting job come Week 1, Sanders could still get a starting role later with the Cleveland Browns.
Meanwhile, McCarthy is the immediate backup for the Minnesota Vikings’ Kyler Murray. There’s almost no chance either one of them would leave their roles and return to college. This situation makes the hypothetical college return irrelevant. After all, both have a fair chance to start the games this season.
Of course, a return for Sanders or McCarthy currently remains a long shot. But the fact that the conversation is even happening proves that the new era of college football is in uncharted territory.
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