Big Ten won't allow football players to return from NFL
The Big Ten has passed a rule that stops players returning from the NFL from playing for one of its schools.
Any player who has declared for the NFL draft and did not withdraw, appeared on an NFL roster or signed a contract with a pro league cannot be on a Big Ten roster, the league announced Tuesday in a statement.
The Big Ten's athletic directors unanimously approved the rule, which then received unanimous approval later Tuesday from the conference's faculty athletic representatives, sources told ESPN's Pete Thamel.
Any teams in violation of the rule would be subject to its head coach being suspended for 50 percent of its remaining games plus an undisclosed fine, the Big Ten confirmed.
"The Big Ten Conference announced Tuesday the unanimous adoption of a conference rule to prohibit football players who have signed a professional contract, were on a professional roster at any point or declared for the NFL Draft as an underclassman without withdrawing, from maintaining eligibility for athletic competition at a conference institution," the league said. "The conference continues to evaluate potential rules restricting professional athletes in other sports from conference competition."
The SEC announced a similar ban later on Tuesday.
.
.
.
continued
