Cal's Rivera Opposes NFL-to-College Eligibility Loophole

Cal football athletic director and general manager Ron Rivera voiced his opposition to players leaving NFL camps and returning to college for extra eligibility, calling it a way to cheat the system. His comments come as the Big Ten, SEC, and Big 12 have already banned the practice, while the ACC is still deliberating. Rivera, a former NFL coach and Cal standout, believes players should be held to their decisions once they commit to a professional path.

Rivera, a former NFL head coach and All-America linebacker at Cal, framed the eligibility debate as a matter of commitment, arguing that once players enter professional camps, they should not be allowed to reverse course. He noted that the ACC has not yet ruled, while the Big Ten, SEC, and Big 12 have already moved to ban the practice. Rivera also pointed to the NCAA’s new five-year, five-season rule as the trigger for recent cases, including two LSU-bound players who left NFL camps.

The broader context includes a proposed federal bill, the Protect College Sports Act, which Rivera supports as a way to standardize eligibility rules across all conferences and sports. He emphasized that the issue affects not just football but Cal’s 29 other athletic programs, and he cautioned against unrealistic scenarios, such as older players returning repeatedly. Rivera also stressed that only about 1 percent of draft-eligible players reach the NFL, suggesting education should remain a priority.