SEC loses court rulings on NFL player participation in college sports

The Southeastern Conference (SEC) has faced another setback in court regarding its attempts to prevent member schools from signing players who have previously been on NFL rosters. Recently, a Louisiana judge and a Dallas judge both ruled against the SEC, blocking the conference from penalizing schools for adding players with NFL contracts. The rulings stem from a broader issue related to the NCAA's new five-year rule and efforts by players to retroactively apply it. Legal representatives have criticized the NCAA for the current circumstances and called attention to the constitutional rights of the players affected. The SEC and NCAA are now required to justify their actions in light of these rulings.

• 8:29 PMYahoo Sports — SEC loses again in court, on effort to bar schools from signing former NFL players