Legendary sportscaster Jim Gray calls court ruling on NFL players returning to college 'a shame'

The battle for whether NFL players will be permitted to return to college continues, as both parties have dug their heels in on either side of the issue.

While a local judge in Baton Rouge ruled in favor of the NFL players, granting an injunction against the NCAA, the SEC fired right back, with commissioner Greg Sankey filing a lawsuit against LSU around the same time the hearing in Louisiana was taking place.

While a court ruling has allowed former college players like Dae'Quan Wright to return to school and play at LSU, not everyone is sold that this is the right move.

LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin talks with SEC commissioner Greg Sankey during SEC Media Day 2026 at the JW Marriott Waterstreet in Tampa, Fla., on July 23, 2026. (University Images via Getty Images)

That includes legendary sportscaster and Fox News contributor Jim Gray, who joined Fox and Friends earlier Saturday to discuss the ruling.

"This is ridiculous," Gray stated, defiantly. "I think it's a shame, quite frankly... and it's wrong."

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Gray has covered the sport for many years and has seen the game change, especially in the wake of COVID-19, NIL, and the transfer portal, but this is a new can of worms that even he can't wrap his head around.

"If you declared to play in the NFL, that means that was your intention," Gray said. "There's legal rights, and then there's right-wrong. And I just see this as wrong."

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Gray then turned his sights towards Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin, who has been somewhat of a lightning rod for most of the offseason, even before this latest stunt.

Head coach Lane Kiffin of the LSU Tigers is in action during fall practice at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La., on Aug. 22, 2026. (University Images via Getty Images)

"His motivations are to improve his team, and so, congratulations, this is how you want to improve your team," he quipped. "It's not skirting the rules, but it's on the edge."

"(Kiffin) has a very well-earned reputation of how people feel about him," says Gray. "Now he has to live with that, and he's very comfortable with it."

As Gray notes, this is nothing new with Kiffin, who left Ole Miss in the midst of a Playoff run to come to LSU, and even has a checkered past as a head coach dating all the way back to his days with the then-Oakland Raiders.

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Suffice to say, this legal battle won't be slowing down any time soon, and for those of you who were looking forward to the distractions being set aside now that the season has begun, think again.

LSU's Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge (Trey Wallace/FOX NEWS)

The Tigers will take on Clemson at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, with many wondering if this legal back-and-forth will be a distraction for Kiffin and LSU.

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If the Bayou Bengals open up with a home loss to Dabo Swiney and Clemson, the noise will become deafening.