Former LSU defensive end Jack Pyburn is a step closer to a possible return to Baton Rouge after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers waived him on Sunday.
Pyburn signed with Tampa Bay as an undrafted free agent after the 2026 NFL Draft and made a strong late push for a roster spot. He closed the preseason with four sacks, but the Buccaneers are now working toward their final 53-man roster, and his release changes the picture quickly.
That move could open the door for something unusual: a return to LSU for the 2026 season.
Pyburn is part of a group of players challenging NCAA eligibility rules in Louisiana court. Earlier this month, a temporary restraining order gave Pyburn and other members of the 2022 recruiting class a possible path to play another college season even after exhausting their eligibility and, in Pyburn’s case, signing an NFL contract.
The legal battle has now widened to include the SEC. On Friday, a Louisiana judge amended the temporary restraining order to prevent the conference and commissioner Greg Sankey from enforcing newly adopted penalties against schools that use players who had entered the professional ranks. Even so, the core eligibility case is still unresolved.
Court filings have also spelled out Pyburn’s plans. If Tampa Bay waived him before the Sept. 1 deadline, he intended to try to return to LSU for the 2026 season.
TigerBait expects LSU to bring Pyburn back if the remaining procedural and eligibility hurdles are cleared.
Pyburn spent the 2025 season with the Tigers after transferring from Florida. He started 11 games and posted 52 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and eight quarterback hurries.
If he does make it back, LSU would add another experienced defensive end as it gets ready for its season opener against Clemson.
For now, though, nothing is official. Pyburn still has to get through the NFL waiver process, and the legal fight over his college eligibility remains a major factor.
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