In a surprising twist, University of Montana linebacker Solomon Tuliaupupu is coming back for the 2026–27 football season. That makes him one of the rare athletes with a college football career stretching almost a decade.
The National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) granted Tuliaupupu a ninth year of eligibility. His unusually long run reflects a bigger shift—college athletes are sticking around longer, thanks to injury waivers, COVID-19 extensions, and those tempting Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals.
Solomon Tuliaupupu’s Journey Through College Football
Tuliaupupu began at the University of Southern California (USC). He ran into trouble early, facing serious foot and knee surgeries in 2018 and 2020.
Those setbacks kept him off the field for years and led to multiple medical-redshirt seasons. He finally got his chance to play in 2022, then transferred to the University of Montana in 2025.
He’ll be 26 years old when the next season kicks off. It’s a story of stubborn resilience—maybe even a little stubbornness for good measure.
Extended Eligibility: A Growing Trend
What Tuliaupupu’s doing isn’t just a one-off. More athletes are finding ways to stretch out their college careers these days.
Some, like him, use medical waivers. Others are simply taking advantage of new rules and opportunities, especially when there’s money on the table.
The Financial Incentives of Staying in College
Let’s be honest—a big reason athletes are hanging around is the cash. Since 2021, college athletes can cash in on their name, image, and likeness.
Football brings in the most money, hands down. Top quarterbacks? They’re making millions. Arch Manning at Texas reportedly has an NIL value of $5.6 million. Oregon’s Dante Moore is said to pull in about $3 million a year.
NIL Deals and Revenue Sharing
Of course, not everyone’s raking in millions. Even so, lower-tier football players can pocket a few thousand bucks, sometimes more.
On top of NIL money, there’s NCAA revenue-sharing. Big-conference schools get $20.5 million a year to divide among athletes in all sports. Montana doesn’t see that kind of cash, but it’s something.
The Broader Impact on College Sports
All this extended eligibility and money has changed college sports in ways that are hard to ignore. Schools are even hiring general managers now, just to manage their budgets and recruiting—almost like pro teams.
It’s sparked a lot of debate. Is this good for college athletics? Hard to say.
Expert Opinions on the Changing Landscape
Lisa Delpy Neirotti, who runs the sports-management program at George Washington University’s business school, says college sports are starting to look a lot like the pros. The money’s just that big now.
Legendary basketball coach John Calipari has raised concerns, too. He thinks having older players stick around could change the whole feel of college sports.
Case Studies: Beyond Football
Football isn’t the only sport seeing this trend. The Wall Street Journal pointed out a wild case with University of Alabama’s Charles Bediako, who came back to college basketball after a short NBA G-League stint.
Bediako was initially denied eligibility, but he sued the NCAA and won a temporary restraining order. That let him play. Then there’s James Nnaji—drafted by the Detroit Pistons, but now back in college and already playing in five games this season.
The Future of College Athletics
Extended eligibility and financial incentives aren’t going anywhere. They’re already changing the landscape for college sports, and honestly, it’s hard to say where the line between college and pro sports even is anymore.
NIL deals? Revenue sharing? These are going to decide how long athletes stick around and how schools juggle their programs. It’s all still shaking out, and nobody’s totally sure what comes next.
If you want to dive deeper into Solomon Tuliaupupu’s story and see how these trends are playing out, take a look at the full article on MarketWatch.
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