SEC Joins B1G in Stopping the NFL Portal…For Now
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“I feel like I took a freakin’ gummy.” LA Rams head coach Sean McVay summed up most of our thoughts this week when we heard that Cleveland Browns TE Dae’Quan Wright wanted to leave the NFL to go back to school. Thankfully, the SEC joined the B1G, Big 12, Notre Dame, and a handful of G6 conferences in coming out against ending the NFL Portal, or whatever we are calling this.
What are these players thinking? Doesn’t every middle-school and high-school football player dream of making it to the NFL? Sure, it looks like the Lane Train is having all sorts of fun in Baton Rouge, but is it really better than being in “The League”?
TURN ME UP RIGHT NOW
Two weeks until we kick off in Death Valley pic.twitter.com/eKISfKxv8u
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) August 22, 2026
News broke this weekend and early this week that as many as three current NFL players were looking to leave the NFL and head back to school. Well, LSU at least, so the school thing may be optional (we kid, we remember the Cardale Jones joke). Unfortunately for McVay, he didn’t take a gummy. New Orleans Saints DT Zxavian Harris and Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ DE/EDGE Junior Tuihalamaka were rumored to be looking to join Wright at LSU.
So, before we get to the court filings, because it’s 2026 and of course we will. Let’s take a look at what the SEC came out with and some of the reactions from two of the biggest coaches in the league: Kiffin and Georgia’s Kirby Smart.
SEC Joins B1G in Stopping the NFL Portal…For Now
No NFLers…For Now
The SEC came out on Monday night to try to squash the idea of NFLers returning to college football. The SEC had to deal with this issue earlier this winter when Alabama center Charles Bediako tried to return to college from the G League. Bediako returned to Alabama and sued the NCAA after his waiver was denied. He secured a temporary restraining order from a local circuit judge, allowing him to play five games for the Tide under court protection. However, a judge ultimately ruled in favor of the NCAA, blocking his return and ending his brief, controversial comeback.
It was not a great look for the SEC or Alabama. Trying to get ahead of this and avoid a repeat this fall, the league’s presidents, chancellors, and athletics directors met on Monday night to propose a new policy to stop the professional-to-college transfer portal. In a post put on social media on Tuesday night, the new policy stated that SEC institutions are not permitted to have an athlete on their roster who has:
- Previously declared for the NFL, NBA, or WNBA draft, and did not appropriately withdraw,
- Signed a contract with an NFL (or other professional football league), NBA/G-League, or WNBA (or affiliate) team, or
- Been listed on an NFL (or other professional football league), NBA/G-League, or WNBA (or affiliate) roster.
The policy gives Commissioner Greg Sankey the power to enforce this expectation by imposing penalties on member institutions. As of the time of this article’s publication, the league has not defined those penalties. Pete Thamel of ESPN reported that the B1G’s policy stated that a head coach would be suspended for half the season if they play an NFL player, in addition to an institutional fine and other penalties.
Of Course Lane Has Thoughts
The villain, we mean, is the coach and program at the center of this story: Lane Kiffin and LSU. Lane always has thoughts, even when he’s not on Twitter.
On Monday, Kiffin defended himself when asked why he would be interested in bringing back players like Wright from the NFL to LSU. Lane was very matter-of-fact and said (basically) it wasn’t him or LSU that was the problem, or that they were trying to cause a problem; instead, he was just doing his job. “They’re either going to play for you, or they’re going to play somewhere else around the country.” So the matter leaves Kiffin with very little choice about whether to recruit the NFLers.
Lane doubled down on his efforts on Tuesday when he went on The Pat McAfee Show to further defend his position. Lane probably heard that the conference and other conferences were planning and trying to prevent him from circumventing the rules. Kiffin tried to point out on the show that LSU and other conferences have to follow all court orders, rather than just picking the ones they like, following talks about banning NFL players. “Doesn’t work like that,” Lane said. “You can’t decide, ‘Hey, I like that injunction, I don’t like that one, that play I kind of like, and I like the way that they got him eligible, so we’re going to follow those rules, not these.'”
Who knew Lane was such a rule follower? Reached for comment on Tuesday night, LSU president Wade Rousse’s office told Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger that they aren’t ready to comment on the SEC’s new policy just yet.
Kirby Speaks, Will Anyone Listen?
Lane likes to talk, and he talks a lot. We always listen. Hey, it helps with clicks. Kirby Smart will talk from time to time, too. When Kirby has an opinion or wants to share his take on college football, folks really pay attention. With Saban gone and retired, he is the alpha among SEC coaches. Smart is also strategic with his bully pulpit.
Smart was asked at his weekly press conference whether Georgia was evaluating any NFL players from the class of 2022 to add to his roster. His answer was pure Kirby and demonstrated the difference in how he and Lane try to build a culture and a program. “No, I’m not.” Smart said. “To each his own is my thought… The opportunities presented to guys on our team are important to me. They’ve earned those opportunities.” Smart said. “If somebody feels like that gives them a chance to be better and doesn’t affect their culture, then ‘more power to them.'” This might be why Georgia will be competing for their third straight SEC Championship in 2026, and Lane will be looking to make and win his first CFB Playoff game…
Something tells us this isn’t over by a long shot. Don’t worry, we’ll have you ready with the latest.
Main Photo: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images
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