Specifically, Defendants waged a deliberate and coordinated campaign to recruit professional athletes to play football for LSU during the 2026-27 season, including players who had signed NFL contracts with the Cleveland Browns, New Orleans Saints, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Numerous reports have shown that at least two of these professional athletes are on campus and actively practicing with LSU’s football team. Defendants have also expressed their unequivocal intent to place those athletes on LSU’s official football roster and allow them to participate in football games during the upcoming season.
Every SEC member institution—including LSU—has affirmed that individuals who choose to leave college athletics, sign professional playing contracts, and compete professionally should not then be permitted to return to college competition. Just days ago, on August 25, 2026, LSU (through Defendant Rousse) voted in favor of the SEC issuing a policy statement clarifying that its longstanding rules prohibit an SEC institution from having a professional athlete on its roster.
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