Dept of Defense policy reversal prohibits athletes from all service academies from immediately going pro
A Department of Defense rule that allowed athletes at Air Force, Army and Navy to immediately pursue professional careers after their time at service academies is no more.
The widespread change was announced Monday, days after Air Force said that wide receiver Jalen Robinette wouldn’t be able to play right away for a team that drafted him in the NFL draft.
A rule, enacted in 2016, allowed athletes to get a waiver regarding their mandatory two-year post-academy service requirements. It meant record-setting Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds was able to join the Baltimore Ravens in 2016 after his college career concluded in 2015.
Monday’s change wipes away that rule, meaning Robinette and other players who ended their careers in 2016 wouldn’t be eligible to play pro sports in 2019.
“Our military academies exist to develop future officers who enhance the readiness and the lethality of our military services,” Pentagon Chief Spokesperson Dana W. White said in a statement Monday. “Graduates enjoy the extraordinary benefit of a military academy education at taxpayer expense. Therefore, upon graduation, officers will serve as military officers for their minimum commitment of two years. The department has a long history of officer athletes who served their nation before going to the pros including Roger Staubach, Chad Hennings and David Robinson. The change takes effect with this graduating class.”
Air Force said that it told NFL teams about the impending rule change before the draft so teams could “could conduct their business in good faith.” Robinette, Air Force’s all-time leading receiver, was a possible late-round selection in last weekend’s draft.
The school also told the Post expected the policy change to become public before the draft. But since it didn’t, the school had to take action itself. Robinette went undrafted.
Before Robinette, the rule has had recent NFL draft impact. The Detroit Lions selected Army’s Caleb Campbell in the seventh round of the 2008 draft. But Campbell had to fulfill his service requirement couldn’t join the team until 2010. He signed with the Lions after his time was up and made the active roster late in the season after spending time on the team’s practice squad.
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of Dr. Saturday and From the Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
