TAMPA, Fla. — When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers started Saturday night’s preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs, linebacker Jack Pyburn was in the middle of the action, lined up near the center of the field on the opening kickoff.

Almost exactly two weeks from that moment, Pyburn’s former school, LSU, will kick off its season with a marquee home game against Clemson.

Will Pyburn be on the field for that one, too?

Inside the wild, new frontier of the NIL agent

Adam Kilgore and Jorge Ribas

The absurd-sounding question is not hypothetical. It’s an only-in-2026 possibility caused by an NCAA rule change, a state court ruling and the ever-changing landscape of name, image and likeness all converging on an undrafted outside linebacker who’s trying to block it all out.

“I’m kind of caught in the middle of a whirlwind,” Pyburn said, “and I’m just trying to play football.”

Pyburn’s agents first advised him of the possibility a few months ago as the NCAA simplified its eligibility rules to essentially give every athlete five years to play five seasons. The change did not, however, apply to the fourth-year seniors (like Pyburn) who had just finished their eligibility. That wrinkle led to a wave of lawsuits from recruits in the 2022 high school class seeking that extra year.

The initial judicial rulings have been mixed, but one suit filed in Louisiana by Pyburn and more than 30 other athletes won a temporary restraining order Wednesday to allow them to play collegiately this academic year. Pyburn and other players who spent time in NFL camps or on preseason rosters can regain their college eligibility if they terminate their pro contracts and repay any pro earnings. Pyburn’s deal with the Bucs guaranteed him $115,000, including a $15,000 signing bonus.

A preliminary injunction hearing is scheduled for Aug. 31 in East Baton Rouge, La.

Pyburn said his agents have told the Bucs that returning to college “was a possibility as a backup option.” He plans to try to make the roster for Tampa Bay.

The choice, if there is one, might not be as easy as you’d think. Although his collegiate value is hard to gauge because rosters and payrolls were (theoretically) set months ago, two NIL agents put it in the $1 million range. That guesstimate dwarfs what Pyburn would make on an NFL practice squad (about $250,000) and surpasses the NFL minimum salary ($885,000) if he sticks on an active roster. Pyburn said he doesn’t know when he’ll have to make a decision, but he’ll lean on his family and agents to figure out the best business decision for his career long-term.

In the meantime, Pyburn is in a weird spot in a wild landscape.

He had three tackles (one solo) Saturday while sharing a sideline with Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield; Pyburn was in high school when Mayfield won the Heisman Trophy in 2017. Pyburn tried to block a field goal by a kicker (Harrison Butker) who signed with Georgia Tech when Pyburn was in grade school. He played 30-plus snaps on defense and special teams in the same game as Travis Kelce, who committed to Cincinnati in 2008 — a month after Pyburn’s fifth birthday. Quite an unusual bio for a (possible) future college player.

After the game, Pyburn embraced two fellow rookies from LSU: Kansas City quarterback Garrett Nussmeier and guard Josh Thompson. He swapped jerseys with Thompson, tucking the memento from his former teammate into a dark bag that still sports his LSU No. 44 name tag.

Pyburn is the most notable player in this position because of his two sacks in last week’s preseason opener. But he’s not the only one: Tight end Dae’Quan Wright, who topped 1,000 receiving yards over the last two seasons while playing for Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss, was with the Cleveland Browns for Saturday’s preseason game despite entering the transfer portal two days earlier. Afterward, Browns coach Todd Monken laughed and shook his head.

“Man, ain’t that s— crazy?” Monken told reporters. “I wondered why Lane Kiffin reached out a week ago. Now I know.”

It’s unclear whether Wright, Pyburn or any other players who have fought to make NFL rosters over the last few months will be back in college by the time Week 0 starts in six days. But if Pyburn returns to LSU (or goes to another school), he’ll do so with a different approach than he had the last time.

Before the judge’s ruling came out, Pyburn told reporters his college career at Florida and LSU didn’t meet his expectations. As much as coaches there talked about being a professional, it’s hard to understand what that means and looks like.

“It’s a real thing,” Pyburn said.

One he has experienced and as of Saturday night was still experiencing. But for how long?

“I’m just trying to maximize myself as a player and as a person and play my best football,” Pyburn said, “wherever that is.”