Sean McVay on NFL players returning to college: ‘I feel like I took a freakin’ gummy’
By Ethan Stone
Published:
Sean McVay summarized the recent saga of NFL players committing to play for college programs about as well as he possibly could have when asked about the trend on Tuesday.
“I feel like I took a freakin’ gummy,” the Los Angeles Rams HC said.
McVay is alluding to the recent news that former Ole Miss TE Dae’Quan Wright will return to college to play for Lane Kiffin and the LSU Tigers after being waived by the Cleveland Browns on Sunday and clearing the NFL waiver wire on Tuesday.
Wright went undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft and is eligible for another season in college football based on the NCAA’s 5-in-5 eligibility model, which was passed this offseason. Like many others, Wright sued for a temporary restraining order in Louisiana and was granted an injunction.
The former Rebels TE is the first NFL player to announce his intention to return to college under this new model, but he almost certainly won’t be the last. In fact, former Ole Miss DL Zxavian Harris, recently waived by the New Orleans Saints, is also expected to play for LSU this season.
Notably, the Big Ten became the first conference on Tuesday to ban professional players from joining college rosters. Could the SEC, ACC and Big 12 be next?
Ethan Stone is a Saturday Down South News Editor and an advocate for the return of the Seattle Supersonics.
