The list of plaintiffs includes 16 football players, several who signed with NFL teams and participated in training camps earlier this month. Three of the players — Wright, Williams and former Oregon State running back Anthony Hankerson — are currently listed on NFL rosters for the Browns, Cardinals and Seahawks, respectively.
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The lawsuit claims the NCAA is breaching its “covenant of good faith” by not giving these players the same opportunity to play for five years in college that past players received and future players will receive.
The NCAA changed its eligibility rules in June to allow athletes to play for five seasons within a five-year timespan which begins either when they enroll in college or in the academic year following their 19th birthday, whichever comes first. The new rule eliminates most of the waivers players received in the past to extend their time in college sports due to injuries or other extenuating circumstances.
The previous eligibility rules allowed players to compete for four seasons during a five-year window without any specific age restriction. When they voted for the change, the Division I Board of Directors opted not to include outgoing seniors who played four seasons in their first four years in college even though they would have been eligible for a fifth season under the new rules. NCAA officials said they did not want a sudden influx of returning fifth-year players to take roster spots from incoming freshmen, many of whom had already signed on to play for their teams by the time the rule was changed.
That decision prompted the current wave of lawsuits that have come through state and federal courts. In several cases, judges have granted temporary restraining orders that allow athletes to compete in the upcoming season while their case is pending.