Jack Pyburn’s NFL preseason breakout has become one of the more unusual roster situations in the league right now. As of now, he is on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers roster, having signed a three-year contract. However, thanks to the groundbreaking legal development allowing pro-rookies to return to college football, Pyburn is at a crossroads. But he seems to have made his decision.
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“Former Florida/LSU OLB Jack Pyburn told me after the Bucs’ preseason game that he doesn’t really know when he’ll have to make a decision between trying to stick with the Bucs or going back to college football,” The Athletic’s Matt Baker reported on X. “What a sentence. Pyburn says he’s focused on trying to make the Bucs.”
Jack Pyburn is among 16 players granted a temporary restraining order against the NCAA by Louisiana’s 19th Judicial District Court. He can now come back to college football to play a fifth season, in line with the NCAA’s new rules. Pyburn tore his ACL and played only nine games at Florida in 2023, preventing him from playing the season fully. Per the old rules, he had no window to resume his college career and had to go pro, as he had exhausted his four full years of eligibility and did not redshirt.
Schools reported to be in conversation with Pyburn’s camp are the Miami Hurricanes(no surprises, there), based on what his agent has said. The rookie has said he’ll let the agents do the work for now, but he is on the clock. The deadline for these 16 players to enter the transfer portal is September 1.
The timing makes the situation even more interesting. Pyburn has already made his NFL debut, picking up two sacks against the New York Jets in the Buccaneers’ preseason opener. He also played against the Chiefs in Week 2 of the preseason, as the Bucs try to whittle down their 53-man roster. If the court had ruled against him, making it to that final list would have been his only goal.
The Athletics’ Daniel Popper described him as undersized but “strong” with “an unrelenting motor,” someone who flashed real pass-rush polish in just his first outing.
If Pyburn walks away from his NFL deal to chase a fifth college season, the numbers work strongly against him financially in the short term. The ruling orders players to drop their contracts with their NFL teams if they choose to come back. Pyburn will be forfeiting his $100,000 in remaining guaranteed salary and his shot at an $885,000 rookie-minimum NFL salary this year. Since Tampa Bay will still retain his rights, the defensive lineman has to return the amounts to the franchise.
But college football’s collectibles market cuts the other way entirely. Given his production and SEC pedigree, Pyburn could realistically command NIL money reaching into the millions if he returned to school, Roundtable Sports’ Jason Klingensmith wrote. After all, some of those who forfeited the draft this year to stay back will earn more than most rookies will be making in the NFL.
Had Brendan Sorsby not been brought down by the gambling fiasco, he was reportedly set to make $5 million at Texas Tech in NIL.
Pyburn spent three seasons at Florida before transferring to LSU for 2025. He started 11 games for the Tigers and finished with 52 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. Over his final two college seasons, he had 112 tackles and 9.5 tackles for loss.
What could have happened if Jack Pyburn came back to college?
If Pyburn doesn’t make the active roster, he will have to suit up for the practice roster, or maybe end up on the roster for another team. If he had come back to college, he’d be on his own.
The main advantage the 16 players are trying to tap into is potentially boosting their draft stock for when 2027 comes around. Pyburn went undrafted this year, and he could have hoped to hear his name called next year if he’d returned to college. A to Z Sports’ Evan Winter said that the EDGE could have been a fourth-round pick next year.
Head coach Todd Bowles has already made clear that Pyburn earned real attention with his performance.
“He did a heck of a job last night,” Bowles said. “He showed up with the lights on. He’s a solid player, doesn’t get much run with all the other guys playing… he showed everybody who he was.”
For now, Pyburn is still competing for a roster spot in Tampa Bay. With final cuts approaching, he could soon have to decide whether to continue chasing his NFL opportunity or explore the unexpected chance to return to college football.