Tuberville proposes bill to limit college athlete transfers

Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) on Tuesday touted a bill that would limit college athlete transfers, saying that the unlimited transfers of the last few years have “screwed up” college sports.

Tuberville, a former head football coach at Auburn, Mississippi, Texas Tech and Cincinnati, said his bill would allow athletes a one-time transfer but would require them to sit out for a year before joining their new team.

In 2024, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Department of Justice reached a settlement that allows an unlimited number of transfers for all athletes. 

“Transferring every year interrupts a student’s education and is bad for team morale,” Tuberville, a prior recipient of the AP College Football Coach of the Year Award, wrote in a Tuesday post on X.

“That’s why I’m introducing a bill that would allow student-athletes to transfer 1 time without penalty, no questions asked. After that if you choose to transfer, you sit out a year. It’s simple,” he added.

Tuberville said current policies allow movement that resembles “unrestricted free agency rather than amateur competition” and added in an interview with Outkick that athletes are “selling themselves” for $50,000 to $100,000 rather than buying in to an athletic program.

Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division previously said college athletes shouldn’t have to “unfairly limit their mobility” but instead choose the institutions that “best meet their academic, personal and professional development needs.”

In 2021, the NCAA adopted the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) policy, which allows student-athletes to receive compensation — money, products, or services — from third-party endorsements, social media, autograph and appearances without losing their eligibility. 

It was previously banned and highly discouraged for years until athletes and some coaches advocated for change. 

Some schools promise access to better brand deals drawing more interest from student athletes who may feel overlooked at their current programs leading them to transfer. 

Tuberville says the issue has caused thousands to abandon their schools citing statistics that say 3,200 football players, 2,300 men’s basketball players and 1,500 women’s basketball players were in the transfer portal last year alone. 

The Alabama senator said he’s spoken with President Trump about the problem. 

Earlier this month, Trump said he’d sign an executive order regarding college athletics, NIL deals and the transfer portal soon.

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Senate Democrats reject GOP offer to reopen Homeland Security, partially fund ...

The SAVE America Act is bad news for Republicans

Trump says Iran gave the US ‘a very big present’ related to oil and gas

Judge refuses to drop lawsuit over Musk role as Trump adviser

Delta suspends special congressional services amid shutdown

US issues ‘worldwide caution’ alert to travelers

Bovino attacks Homan, fellow Trump officials in exit from Border Patrol

Senate GOP says Trump signals shift to backing DHS compromise with Democrats

Bannon says ICE at airports ‘test run’ for 2026 elections

White House says Trump will back emerging DHS deal

Murphy on ‘$1.5BILLION’ stock trade before Trump Iran announcement: ‘Mind ...

Kara Swisher says she refuses to work for Paramount if it takes over CNN

Live updates: Mullin sworn in to lead DHS as deal to reopen agency takes shape

Trump: ‘Only fake news’ wants Iran war to keep going

GOP cracks in Senate begin to show in DHS shutdown fight

Van Hollen: Trump is ‘lying’ about talks with Iranians

NTSB chair: LaGuardia crash investigator was stuck in TSA line for hours

Health alert issued for ground beef sold in 5 states and DC

© The Hill