Justus Ross-Simmons spent Friday afternoon in a sprint that had nothing to do with football and everything to do with paperwork.
By the end of it, Syracuse’s wide receiver had a ruling in hand that should let him suit up against California, even though his path to the field took a hard left turn through two courts, a jurisdictional dispute and a late-day legal scramble.
Ross-Simmons was removed from a Texas lawsuit on Friday afternoon because of jurisdictional concerns, then filed a new case in Onondaga County Supreme Court just an hour later. Less than 23 hours before kickoff, Judge Jean Marie Westlake signed off on a restraining order that clears the way for him to play.
The sequence moved fast. Ross-Simmons’ hearing in Texas began at 2:30 p.m.
Friday. He filed the new paperwork in Central New York at 3:35 p.m., barely over an hour before the court closed for the weekend.
By 6:45 p.m., Westlake had issued the order that completed the legal Hail Mary.
In court documents, Ross-Simmons said Syracuse University is paying him for the use of his name, image and likeness, and that the money depends on his being able to play this season. He did not disclose the amount.
The Texas case had included 41 athletes when it was filed, but 26 plaintiffs were removed Friday by Judge Martin Hoffman of Texas’ 68th Civil District Court in Dallas County because of jurisdictional concerns. That left Ross-Simmons and his new legal team moving quickly in Central New York.
He hired the same three lawyers - Dean DiPilato, Steven Eyechner and Dan Greene of Newman & Lickstein - and leaned on arguments similar to those used in the lawsuit filed on behalf of men’s basketball player Amarri Monroe less than two weeks ago. Westlake, an SU law school graduate, is also handling Monroe’s case.
Even with Friday’s ruling, Ross-Simmons is not through the legal maze yet. The restraining order only covers the next two games. To play the rest of the season, he will need an injunction, and Westlake set a Sept. 30 hearing for that decision.
This is the second eligibility roller coaster Ross-Simmons has ridden in the past month. He was first ruled eligible through an injunction in a class-action lawsuit in Colorado, but the NCAA appealed successfully, pushing him into the Texas case.
That ruling had made him eligible for Syracuse’s season opener against New Hampshire last Saturday, though he did not dress. On Monday, head coach Fran Brown said Ross-Simmons was still getting back into game shape and that using him against New Hampshire would not have been fair to him or his teammates.
“He just came back,” Brown said. “We were practicing all that time.
That wouldn’t be healthy for him to just go in and play right away with all the other guys that have been here playing. His opportunity is going to come this week.”
Now, after Friday’s legal scramble, that opportunity appears to be arriving against Cal.
In Other News...
Syracuse's Top Recruit Could Be In Play Sooner Than Anyone Expected
Calvin Russells return has become one of the more intriguing little developments around Syracuse as the Orange prepare for Cal. The 2026 recruit tore his Achilles just six months ago, yet he is already back at practice and carrying a questionable designation heading into the game, a sign that his recovery has moved faster than most would have guessed.
Fran Brown said Russells status will be tested before kickoff, which at least keeps the door open for an even earlier look than expected. Syracuse also expects Justus Ross-Simmons to be active for the ACC opener, leaving the Orange with a little more flexibility as they sort through a receiver situation that still has one notable unknown attached to it. [Read more 🡒]
Fran Brown Just Raised The Stakes For Syracuses ACC Opener
Fran Brown gave Syracuse a little more clarity heading into its ACC opener against California, and for a position group that has already dealt with plenty of uncertainty, any good news matters. Justus Ross-Simmons is confirmed to play on Saturday after his eligibility status had been fluctuating, giving the Orange another option as they try to build on the momentum from their 66-3 win over New Hampshire.
The bigger question now sits with Calvin Russell III, who is working his way back from a torn Achilles. Brown said Russell will be tested on Friday to see whether he can go, leaving Syracuse with one more piece to sort out before a conference game that should tell a lot more about where the offense stands early in the season. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse's Cal Game Could Carry Major Recruiting Implications
Syracuses first Atlantic Coast Conference home game of the season is shaping up to be more than just an early September measuring stick on the field. When California visits the JMA Wireless Dome on Sept. 12, about 20 high school football prospects are expected to be in the building, giving the Orange a prominent recruiting stage at a game that already carries some conference weight.
The group is expected to include verbal commits and scholarship offer holders across the 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030 classes, a sign Syracuse is trying to keep its pipeline active well beyond the current roster. Big weekend visits are nothing new in college football, but getting that many prospects on hand for an ACC opener gives the Orange a chance to make a lasting impression before the fall schedule really settles in. [Read more 🡒]