Former Cleveland Browns running back TJ Harden finally got a chance to live his dream and play for an NFL team. He must not have liked it that much, as he's heading back to school like he is Rodney Dangerfield.
A Louisiana judge granted 16 players , including Harden, a temporary restraining order that would grant them a fifth year of eligibility based on new eligibility requirements. Harden has already entered the transfer portal, meaning he can be contacted by teams interested in a guy who was competing with Quinshon Judkins just weeks ago.
Because of these legal gymnastics, a player who has put on an orange Browns helmet and later took genuine snaps in an NFL preseason game now has the ability to go back to college like nothing happened and try again next year. College sports are in a very strange place, as the Browns and Seattle Seahawks just found out.
The NCAA has enacted an age-based eligibility rule starting in the 2026-27 academic year, stating that a student-athlete now has five years of eligibility based on their first day of enrollment as a freshman or their 19th birthday. Harden and others are exploiting a loophole, as they technically never signed a professional contract.
Harden, who spent three seasons at UCLA before transferring to SMU in 2025, ran for 787 yards and nine touchdowns in his fourth college season. After going through most of the Browns' offseason program following his May signing, Harden was waived and joined the Seahawks. Harden carried the ball twice for one yard in a preseason loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
College basketball is dealing with a similar issue. James Nnaji and Charles Bediako, the former of whom was selected in the NBA Draft (yet never signed an NBA contract) and the latter of whom played in the G League, both suited up for Baylor and Alabama, respectively, last season. It's the Wild West, and Harden is taking advantage.
Browns and Ohio State fans who saw Maurice Clarett's situation play out the way it did while Terrelle Pryor and others were punished for trading memorabilia have to be a bit (understandably) confused as to why Harden can seemingly hop between college and the pros at his leisure.
This is a no-brainer financial move for Harden, as he can cash some nice NIL checks and get a better shot at improving his stock in the eyes of pro teams in 2027. While this doesn't impact the Browns as far as 2026 is concerned, fans may need to get used to seeing undrafted free agents go back to college on the regular.
This article was originally published on www.dawgpounddaily.com as Explaining how a former Browns running back is now in the NCAA transfer portal .
