Latest news with #Stewart
USA Today
2 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Can Shemar Stewart return to college instead of signing with Bengals?
The Shemar Stewart situation has gotten very chaotic as the first-round pick in 2025 -- who impressed everyone at the NFL Combine -- for the Cincinnati Bengals continues to hold out. It's gotten to the point where we're just weeks away from training camp, Stewart is arguing that he wants the language in his contract to look like those of usual Bengals first-rounders ... and suddenly, everyone's now wondering: would it be possible for the defensive end to... return to Texas A&M? What the what? Why would he want that in the first place, you ask? Well, given NIL, he might be able to make as much (and maybe more?) money if he's back in college. But how can someone taken in the NFL Draft go back to his college? This is where it gets a little tricky. It's all hypothetical. Here's what he could do. Could Shemar Stewart find a loophole to go back to Texas A&M? Maybe it comes in the form of a lawsuit. He could sue the NCAA to break the rules about a player going back to college once they're drafted, so that's on the table. From CBS Sports: During Monday's episode of the Cover 3 podcast, CBS Sports college analyst Bud Elliott noted that Stewart has actually been working out at Texas A&M this summer. "A guy who has had some good A&M stuff in the past, he hit me, he's like, 'Hey, Shemar might end up back here,'" Elliott said. ... "'He's been at College Station, he's been fully involved in workouts, He's holding out from the Bengals, (the) relationship is toxic. He could try to come back and play again this season and go into the draft again next year.'" Could Shemar Stewart play in the CFL? Possibly, but as that article above notes, the Bengals would have his NFL rights for three years. Could Shemar Stewart go back into the NFL Draft? Yes. He'd just not have to play football for a year. So, yeah this is getting pretty dramatic, I'd say. Stay tuned.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Shemar Stewart contract standoff with Cincinnati Bengals could lead to NFL Draft re-entry
Bengals first-round pick holds out over contract language Cincinnati Bengals first-round draft pick Shemar Stewart has not signed his rookie contract due to disputes over specific language in the agreement. The 17th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft attended OTAs and minicamp but did not participate in any on-field activities. Stewart's four-year, $18.94 million fully guaranteed contract represents standard rookie wage scale compensation. The dispute centers on additional contract language the Bengals want to include that differs from their previous first-round picks' agreements. Also read: Trey Smith signs $94 million extension with Kansas City Chiefs, becomes NFL's highest-paid guard Default clause creates contract negotiation impasse The Cincinnati Bengals are seeking to add a default clause to Stewart's contract that would allow the team to void future guarantees if the player encounters legal or disciplinary issues. This language represents a departure from typical first-round contracts and was not included in previous Bengals first-round picks' agreements. According to former NFL team executive Andrew Brandt, the clause would provide the Bengals flexibility to potentially exit guaranteed money obligations if Stewart faces suspension for on-field conduct, off-field conduct, arrest, or other disciplinary actions. "I'm 100 percent right," Stewart said about his stance. "I'm not asking for nothing you all have never done before, but in you all case, you all just want to win an argument instead of winning more games." Stewart's financial leverage through NIL earnings Stewart possesses unique leverage compared to previous rookie holdouts due to substantial NIL earnings during his college career at Texas A&M. The former Aggies pass rusher collected significant Name, Image, and Likeness compensation, providing financial stability that allows him to extend contract negotiations without immediate financial pressure. Live Events Also read: NFL Millionaires' Club: Meet the top 5 richest stars of all time - Check full net worth This financial position represents a shift from traditional rookie contract negotiations, where players typically needed signing bonuses quickly due to limited personal resources. Stewart's NIL earnings enable him to maintain his negotiating position without compromising his financial security. Multiple options available to Stewart Stewart has several strategic options if contract negotiations with the Bengals fail. Under Article 6 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, he could re-enter the NFL Draft in 2026 if he remains unsigned and does not play football in 2025. The re-entry process would make Stewart eligible for selection by any team except the Cincinnati Bengals. He would have until the Tuesday following Week 10 to sign his rookie contract or forfeit his 2025 playing eligibility. Trade request and college return possibilities Stewart could request a trade from the Bengals, though any rookie trade must occur at least 30 days before the regular season begins. The deadline for such transactions falls around August 5 or August 8, depending on CBA interpretation. A more controversial option involves Stewart's potential return to Texas A&M for his senior season. CBS Sports college analyst Bud Elliott reported that Stewart has been working out at Texas A&M this summer and could consider returning to college football. "A guy who has had some good A&M stuff in the past, he hit me, he's like, 'Hey, Shemar might end up back here,'" Elliott said. "'He's been at College Station, he's been fully involved in workouts, He's holding out from the Bengals, (the) relationship is toxic. He could try to come back and play again this season and go into the draft again next year.'" Also read: NFL legend's son commits to Notre Dame; here's what you need to know about Devin Fitzgerald NCAA rules prohibit drafted players from returning to college football, but Stewart could pursue legal action to challenge these restrictions. Impact on Bengals defense and season preparation The Stewart holdout compounds the Bengals' defensive concerns alongside Trey Hendrickson's absence. Both the team's 2024 sack leader and their projected pass rush complement are sitting out team activities. Cincinnati's defense ranked among the NFL's worst units last season. The potential absence of both Stewart and Hendrickson during training camp could further compromise defensive preparation and early-season performance. Joe Burrow addressed the holdout situation's impact on team preparation. "Of course," Burrow said when asked if Hendrickson's absence was a distraction. "Last year, we had two. This year, we have one. So we do have less. You'd love to have none, but that's life in the NFL." Historical context and precedent The Stewart situation represents the most contentious rookie contract standoff since Joey Bosa's 31-day holdout with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2016. Bosa's holdout remains the longest by any rookie since the 2011 CBA implementation. Also read: Cardi B's new clues hint at breakup with NFL star Stefon Diggs just one month after going Instagram-offici The Bengals have historically maintained firm positions in contract negotiations, often resulting in extended holdouts and training camp absences. Previous negotiations with players like Ja'Marr Chase have created similar disruptions to team preparation and early-season performance.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Jon Stewart: ‘Classic' Trump distractions barrage won't quell MAGA Epstein ‘revolt'
Jon Stewart says President Trump's supporters are in an 'open revolt' over his administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files — and that the commander in chief's attempts to offer a 'distraction' won't quiet the criticism. 'Surprisingly, MAGA World, for the first time in memory, isn't just slavishly acquiescing to Trump's reality distortion field,' Stewart said of the Epstein controversy on Monday's episode of 'The Daily Show.' Trump and key officials in his administration, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, have faced a barrage of criticism from some of his most ardent supporters over the handling of files related to Epstein, a disgraced financier and convicted sex offender who was found dead in his prison cell in 2019. 'So, MAGA World is now in open revolt. You want to know how bad it's getting out there? They're literally burning their MAGA army uniforms,' Stewart said. 'Clearly, telling your base to just forget about Epstein isn't working,' the Comedy Central host said, noting a recent Truth Social post by Trump urging his followers to 'not waste time and energy on Jeffrey Epstein, somebody that nobody cares about.' 'But if you know Trump, he can always just pivot to the classic Trump distraction: Throw something outlandish out there and watch the dogs chase the squirrel,' Stewart said. ''I'm gonna invade Greenland. I'm gonna bomb Iran,'' Stewart continued, mimicking the president. 'He's gonna try something big,' Stewart said, before playing cable news clips about Trump calling comedian and longtime celebrity foe Rosie O'Donnell a 'threat to humanity' and saying he was 'seriously considering' revoking her American citizenship. 'Don't look at our inaction at prosecuting a sex trafficking ring to the rich and powerful,' Stewart exclaimed. 'We must focus on the real issue: The denaturalization of the co-star of 'Riding the Bus with My Sister.'' 'MAGA is losing their s‑‑‑ right now. They cannot believe what they're seeing,' Stewart, 62, said. 'Trump is lying? Dismissing reasonable concerns as bad-faith whining? Attacking anyone who disagrees?' he told the audience with an expression feigning shock. 'Well, as a resident of blue America, can I just say right now to my red colleagues that my pronouns are 'how does' and 'my a‑‑ taste?'' Stewart said to applause. 'The Trump that you're just experiencing now, to your deep disappointment and dismay, is the dude we've been dealing with the whole f‑‑‑ing time. You just didn't realize it because he's been nice to you.' 'Whether it's natural disasters, or tariff carve-outs, or immigration enforcement or a million other issues, Trump's MAGA base always benefits from favorable treatment,' Stewart said. 'Except now, they're finally understanding what it's like to be the target of his hostility,' he said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bengals' Shemar Stewart takes unprecedented step toward returning to Texas A amid contract holdout
With each passing day, there's a bit of a stronger feeling that Shemar Stewart may somehow wind up not playing for the Cincinnati Bengals. The first-round pick from Texas A&M is holding out due to specific language demands in his contract negotiations that aren't being met. Advertisement And now, CBS Sports reporter Bud Elliott has shared that Stewart is back in College Station working out with his former Texas A&M team. There's the idea that he might go back to school and enter the draft again next year. "It may not be legal yet, but then again, everything in the NCAA is subject to litigation," Elliott said. "I didn't know you could do this. I knew you could do this in baseball... I don't know why you could do it in baseball but not football. You probably have to go to court." MORE: How good was LeBron at football? NBA legend would have been 'one of the best' in NFL Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio wrote about this earlier in the offseason, too. Florio, though, shared a specific passage from the Collective Bargaining Agreement that essentially suggests Stewart could go back to school but then would still be considered a Bengals draft pick after the season. Advertisement Here's that Florio breakdown: "This is something that we contemplated during the 2025 draft both as to quarterback Shedeur Sanders and quarterback Quinn Ewers — Stewart could try to return to college for the upcoming season. Even though it would require an actual or threatened legal battle against the NCAA, the rule that prevents a player who has been drafted but who hasn't signed an NFL contract from returning to college football could be susceptible to an attack under the antitrust laws. "Somewhat surprisingly, the CBA contemplates the possibility that a drafted player will instead go back to college. Here's the language, from Article 6, Section 6: 'If any college football player who becomes eligible for the Draft prior to exhausting his college football eligibility through participation is drafted by an NFL Club, and returns to college, the drafting Club's exclusive right to negotiate and sign a Player Contract with such player shall continue through the date of the Draft that follows the last season in which the player was eligible to participate in college football, and thereafter the player shall be treated and the Club shall have such exclusive rights as if he were drafted in such Draft by such Club (or assignee Club).' "In English, this means that, if Stewart returns to college football in 2025, he'd be treated as a draft pick of the Bengals in 2026. Which means that he wouldn't be permitted to re-enter the draft next year." This would certainly be unprecedented by Stewart, and if he pulls it off, it could set a wild new trend that would change college football and the NFL Draft forever. At this point, that may just be what happens. MORE NFL NEWS:
The Hill
9 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Jon Stewart: ‘Classic' Trump distractions barrage won't quell MAGA Epstein ‘revolt'
Jon Stewart says President Trump's supporters are in an 'open revolt' over his administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files — and that the commander in chief's attempts to offer a 'distraction' won't quiet the criticism. 'Surprisingly, MAGA [Make America Great Again] world, for the first time in memory, isn't just slavishly acquiescing to Trump's reality distortion field,' Stewart said of the Epstein controversy on Monday's episode of 'The Daily Show.' Trump and key officials in his administration, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, have faced a barrage of criticism from some of his most ardent supporters over the handling of files related to Epstein, a disgraced financier and convicted sex offender who was found dead in his prison cell in 2019. 'So MAGA world is now in open revolt. You want to know how bad it's getting out there? They're literally burning their MAGA army uniforms,' Stewart said. 'Clearly, telling your base to just forget about Epstein isn't working,' the Comedy Central host said, noting a recent Truth Social post by Trump urging his followers to 'not waste time and energy on Jeffrey Epstein, somebody that nobody cares about.' 'But if you know Trump, he can always just pivot to the classic Trump distraction: Throw something outlandish out there and watch the dogs chase the squirrel,' Stewart said. ''I'm gonna invade Greenland. I'm gonna bomb Iran,'' Stewart continued, mimicking the president. 'He's gonna try something big,' Stewart said, before cuing cable news clips about Trump calling comedian and longtime celebrity foe Rosie O'Donnell a 'threat to humanity' and saying he was 'seriously considering' revoking her American citizenship. 'Don't look at our inaction at prosecuting a sex trafficking ring to the rich and powerful,' Stewart exclaimed. 'We must focus on the real issue: The denaturalization of the co-star of 'Riding the Bus with My Sister,'' he cracked. 'MAGA is losing their s— right now. They cannot believe what they're seeing,' Stewart, 62, said. 'Trump is lying? Dismissing reasonable concerns as bad-faith whining? Attacking anyone who disagrees?' he told the audience with an expression feigning shock. 'Well, as a resident of blue America, can I just say right now to my red colleagues that my pronouns are 'how does' and 'my ass taste?'' Stewart said to applause. 'The Trump that you're just experiencing now, to your deep disappointment and dismay, is the dude we've been dealing with the whole f—ing time. You just didn't realize it because he's been nice to you.' 'Whether it's natural disasters, or tariff carveouts, or immigration enforcement or a million other issues, Trump's MAGA base always benefits from favorable treatment,' Stewart said. 'Except now they're finally understanding what it's like to be the target of his hostility,' he said.
