news-engine

There’s a recent trend in the NFL where pro players are returning to college football. However, Las Vegas Raiders General Manager John Spytek wants no part in commenting on the ongoing situation. During Tuesday's media interaction, Spytek and assistant general manager Brian Stark took questions. Though the duo initially tried dodging the question, the presser ultimately ended hilariously. “Yeah, I mean, I can't fault the players for it if it's permissible and that's available to them. I haven't really thought much about it, to be honest with you. We've been pretty busy here the last few weeks, so I haven't put too much thought into it. But if it's available to them, if that's an option, it's hard to fault them for doing it. But that's about all I got on that,” Stark said. #Raiders GM John Spytek on NFL players going back to play college football: “I’m not giving you any Chris Ballard quotes.” 😂😂 https://t.co/WAEEGF0Rmr pic.twitter.com/arsXv7k7uH — Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 1, 2026 However, Spytek finally took charge of the situation and dropped a Chris Ballard reference. “I'm not giving you any Chris Ballard quotes,” the Raiders GM said. To everyone wondering what Ballard had to do with NFL players heading back to college football, the Indianapolis Colts GM recently discarded the whole idea. Ballard took a rather explicit way and called the whole idea “stupidest sh*t” ever. “That's the stupidest sh*t I've ever heard. Your entire life, you fight to get up to the NFL. But now we’re gonna go back? OK! That makes a lot of freakin’ sense,” he said. “Your entire life, you fight to get up to the NFL. But now we're gonna go back? OK! That makes a lot of freakin' sense.” The drama began unfolding earlier in August, when a Louisiana state court granted a temporary restraining order allowing 33 athletes to return to college football for a season. After the court order, many former subdivision players, including Dae'Quan Wright, entered the transfer portal, according to ESPN. Though the NFL and NFLPA did not initially make a public statement on the matter. Just a day later, the league announced that any player who returns to college football will be ineligible to play in the 2026 NFL season.