Will Jack Pyburn return to LSU football in 2026?

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Former LSU football defensive end Jack Pyburn earned a legal win on Wednesday, according to a report from On3's Pete Nakos. A judge granted Pyburn a temporary restraining order allowing him to return to college for the 2026 season.

That may be confusing to some. Just last weekend, Pyburn registered two sacks for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in an NFL preseason game. As of Wednesday, the day the TRO was granted, Pyburn remains on an NFL roster after signing with the Bucs as an undrafted free agent.

It would be rare, almost unheard of, for a player who makes an NFL roster to return and play college football. But this gives Pyburn the option to play college football if he's cut from the NFL.

On July 31, Judge Charlotte Sweeney granted a class-wide preliminary injunction allowing 2022 high school graduates to use their eligibility to return for a fifth year. The ruling came after the NCAA adopted the five-for-five rule, granting athletes five years of eligibility after they turn 19. Most players in the class of 2022 exhausted their eligibility before this rule was put in place and didn't get the extra year.

Pyburn is included in the 2022 group. He played four years of college football—three at Florida and one at LSU. The NCAA is appealing Sweeney's ruling, and the legal process is ongoing.

Let's get this out of the way now. Pyburn returning to LSU isn't likely; however, the TRO doesn't make it impossible. Defensive end is a position where LSU doesn't have much depth, and the Tigers could use an edge player known for defending the run. LSU only has two starter quality defensive ends right now, and both are pass rush first players.

At the same time, plenty of obstacles stand in the way. For starters, Pyburn is currently on an NFL roster and he'd likely need to be cut first before seriously considering a return to college. And if Pyburn does return with the option to enter the portal, he'd be on the open market and LSU would have to pay up to land his services. LSU already spent a lot of money on its current roster.

Pyburn would also be a rotational player at LSU, splitting time with Jordan Ross and Princewill Umanmielen. If he's coming back to boost his draft stock for 2027, LSU may not be the best place to do it.

And the NCAA is still fighting. An appeal ruling could go the NCAA's way, making all of this moot.

It's worth watching, but I wouldn't expect Pyburn to be wearing an LSU uniform this fall.

This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Will Jack Pyburn return to LSU football in 2026?

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