Former Browns, Seahawks RB T.J. Harden enters transfer portal after court ruling grants eligibility

On Monday, the Seattle Seahawks waived running back T.J. Harden. On Wednesday, Harden declared his intention to enter the NCAA transfer portal following a court ruling granting an additional season of eligibility to certain college players, according to On3

Harden played three seasons at UCLA before transferring to SMU for his senior year. He ran 495 times for 2,445 yards and 21 touchdowns during his career, then entered the NFL Draft this year. He was not invited to the NFL Scouting Combine and went undrafted, then signed with the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent

The Browns kept him on their roster through most of the offseason program, but waived him on Aug. 3. Three days later, he signed with the Seahawks. He played in Seattle’s first preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys, carrying the ball twice for one yard. He also recovered a fumble. The Seahawks waived him two days later

Harden was part of a group of 16 players who sought a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the NCAA to grant them an additional year of eligibility. The players argued that recent NCAA rule changes allowing players to play five years within a five-year span beginning when they enroll in college or in the academic year following their 19th birthday should also extend to players who had already exhausted their previously granted four years of eligibility within a five-year span

A previous court ruling granted preliminary relief to Division I athletes who began college in 2022-23 and exhausted four seasons of eligibility. The subsequent Louisiana order extended immediate relief to Harden and other players whose circumstances included signing NFL contracts or participating in NFL training camps. As our Brad Crawford wrote, the TRO does not constitute a final ruling in the lawsuit, but it provides the ability to pursue another opportunity while the case proceeds. 

It’s fascinating to see players filing lawsuits seekingadditional eligibility in college, considering that 22 years ago, former Ohio State star Maurice Clarett challenged the NFL’s rule that athletes must be three years removed from their high-school graduation in order to enter the NFL Draft, as he attempted to enter after he played just one college season and was suspended for another. 

Clarett initially won his case, but it was overturned on appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and the Supreme Court denied certiorari, leaving him unable to enter the draft or return to college because he had signed with an agent

All these years later, players are trying to return to college after already signing NFL deals, rather than entering the NFL early. The advent of name, image and likeness rules allowing players to sign endorsement deals makes it more financially feasible for them to stay in school than it was in the past, and here we see that even players who have signed NFL contracts see the benefit in returning to school if they are not going to make the team in the pros. 

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