Trinidad Chambliss' 2026 waiver denied. What's next for Ole Miss football at QB?
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OXFORD — Ole Miss football quarterback Trinidad Chambliss was denied a waiver to play in 2026 by the NCAA on Jan. 9.
Chambliss had agreed to return to the Rebels in 2026 if his appeal was approved. Ole Miss and Chambliss can still appeal.
Chambliss is a senior transfer from Division II Ferris State. His waiver request with the NCAA was an attempt to get an extra year of eligibility by awarding a retroactive redshirt to one of his years at Ferris State. It hinged on his 2022 season when he did not play due to medical issues.
“I had chronic tonsillitis,” Chambliss said Dec. 30. “I also had heart palpitations and trouble breathing. My respiratory system just wasn’t the best at the time.”
Why the NCAA denied Trinidad Chambliss’ eligibility waiver
According to the NCAA statement, “approval requires schools to submit medical documentation provided by a treating physician at the time of a student’s incapacitating injury or illness, which was not provided.
“The documents provided by Ole Miss and the student’s prior school include a physician’s note from a December 2022 visit, which stated the student-athlete was ‘doing very well’ since he was seen in August 2022.
“Additionally, the student-athlete’s prior school indicated it had no documentation on medical treatment, injury reports or medical conditions involving the student-athlete during that time frame and cited ‘developmental needs and our team’s competitive circumstances’ as its reason the student-athlete did not play in the 2022-23 season. The waiver request was denied.”
Chambliss was one of the top quarterbacks in college football in his only year in the SEC. He passed for 3,937 yards and 22 touchdowns while rushing for 527 yards and eight touchdowns.
He was No. 8 in Heisman Trophy voting. Chambliss led Ole Miss to the CFP semifinals in the Fiesta Bowl, where the Rebels lost 31-27 to Miami on Jan. 8.
Trinidad Chambliss’ attorney Tom Mars expects appeal
Prominent sports attorney Tom Mars represented Chambliss during his waiver process.
Mars provided a statement to ESPN’s Pete Thamel:
“I assume that Ole Miss will file an appeal with the NCAA,” Mars said. “That said, there is now an opportunity to move this case to a level playing field where Trinidad’s rights will be determined by the Mississippi judiciary instead of some bureaucrats in Indianapolis who couldn’t care less about the law or doing the right thing.”
Trinidad Chambliss NFL draft projections
Chambliss is projected to get a shot in the NFL. He’ll probably be drafted in the middle of the 2026 NFL Draft, according to experts.
Chambliss is ranked as the No. 6 quarterback prospect on Mel Kiper of ESPN’s 2026 NFL Draft preview published Jan. 2.
Pro Football Focus ranks Chambliss as the No. 5 quarterback and No. 83 player overall.
Who will be the Ole Miss football quarterback in 2026?
Backup quarterback Austin Simmons entered the transfer portal when it opened on Jan. 2 and will play at Missouri, per media reports.
Simmons is a talented sophomore who entered the season as the starter. He was heralded as the heir apparent for Jaxson Dart after being Dart’s backup in 2024. Simmons led Ole Miss to a 2-0 record in his career as the starter but injured his ankle in Week 2. Chambliss took the started job and never relinquished it.
Ole Miss will likely seek a quarterback in the transfer portal to compete for the starting job. Former Auburn quarterback Deuce Knight has been linked to Ole Miss in media reports.
AJ Maddox and Oklahoma State transfer Maealiuaki Smith are the other quarterbacks at the top of the position room.
Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at Shutchens@gannett.com or reach him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Trinidad Chambliss waiver denied for 2026. What’s next for Ole Miss?
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