Senator pushes for new rules letting academy athletes play pro sports

Former college football coach Sen. Tommy Tuberville said this week he plans to push for new rules in this year’s defense authorization bill debate allowing elite military academy athletes to pursue professional sports careers after graduation, calling it an invaluable recruiting tool for the services.

The proposal, discussed at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Wednesday focused on oversight of the academies, drew initial support from military leadership at the schools. Tuberville, R-Ala., has not released a formal proposal but said he intends to push the issue in coming weeks.

“When appropriate, these cadets and midshipmen should graduate and commission with their classes, then defer their service obligation until their professional sports playing careers are complete,” he said.

“These would be commissioned officers of our armed services subject to the same rules and regulations as their peers, while at the same time providing valuable exposure and increased visibility to the academies while they play sports at the highest level.”

In the past, academy athletes drafted by professional sports leagues or signed to free-agent contracts by major league teams had been able to apply for waivers to defer their service commitment until after a professional playing career.

But in 2022, lawmakers rescinded that policy, mandating that those service members complete at least two years of active duty service before being eligible for a waiver. That rule goes into effect for athletes graduating this year.

Critics of Tuberville’s idea — which include several members of Congress — have argued that academy graduates benefit from a significant investment of taxpayer dollars and resources, and they should be required to serve in the ranks after school to justify those costs.

But President Donald Trump has been a supporter of more relaxed rules for elite academy athletes, pushing lawmakers to allow for deferred service or a reserve service role while individuals pursue a professional sports career.

Tuberville, who serves as chairman of the committee’s personnel panel but is well known for his nine years as head coach of the Auburn football team, joked with the service academy superintendents that he had lost several potential recruits to their schools over the years. He added, “it never bothered me,” because of their commitment to serve the country.

He said he hopes to work with school officials to find a permanent solution to the athletics issue, avoiding the periodic — and disruptive — changes that have been enacted in recent years.

Debate on the annual defense authorization bill is expected to heat up in coming weeks, with the Senate Armed Services Committee expected to release its draft proposal in June.

The legislation contains hundreds of budgetary guidelines and policy reforms each year and has been approved annually by Congress for more than six consecutive decades.