A Dallas judge signed an order Thursday prohibiting the NCAA, the SEC and its commissioner Greg Sankey from stopping a group of athletes from returning to college sports for one more season of play. Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jordan Hudson, Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Wesley Bissainthe and Chiefs wide receiver Omari Evans are among the 41 players listed as plaintiffs on the restraining order. Christeen Iwuala and Bailey Maupin, who both signed contracts with WNBA teams earlier this summer, are also named on the order.

The judge's order is the first case to specifically block a conference from creating rules that could punish schools in their league for signing any of the plaintiffs. The order specifically says that the NCAA, SEC and Sankey cannot block the players' return based on transfer portal rules or their time on a pro roster. As long as they would have been eligible to continue playing college sports in the following semester if they had a fifth year of eligibility, they are eligible today, Judge Martin Hoffman wrote in the order.

All four power conferences voted this week to adopt similar new rules that prohibit teams from playing athletes who have previously signed contracts for a professional sports team. The NCAA changed its eligibility rules in June to allow athletes to play five seasons during a five-year timespan. More than 100 athletes have joined lawsuits this summer challenging the NCAA's decision.