The Pittsburgh Football Podcast

By Chris Gates | The Pittsburgh Football Podcast

College football has become almost impossible to keep up with.

The latest example is the new “5-for-5” eligibility situation, which has opened the door for players who previously believed their college careers were over to potentially return for another season.

And for Pitt, there are two names that immediately come to mind: Desmond Reid and Justin Holmes.

Could either actually return to Pitt for the 2026 season?

It’s complicated.

But as we get closer to the start of the season, I think one possibility is becoming much more realistic than the other.

What Is the 5-for-5 Rule?

The basic concept behind 5-for-5 is pretty simple: College football players have five years in which they can play five seasons.

• No more worrying about preserving a redshirt.
• No more complicated calculations about how many games a player appeared in or whether he qualifies for some type of exception.

Five years. Five seasons.

The complicated part is what happens to the group of players whose college careers just ended.

Some exhausted their eligibility. Others left college believing they had no eligibility remaining and attempted to begin professional careers.

Then the rules changed.

That has created an obvious question for players who only played four seasons: Had they known this rule was coming, would they have left college in the first place?

Some players have gone to court to fight for the opportunity to return, and that has created one of the strangest situations we’ve seen in college football.

Players who appeared to be finished with college football suddenly might not be finished at all.

That brings us to Pitt.

Could Desmond Reid Come Back to Pitt?

When this situation initially developed, Desmond Reid was probably the first name most Pitt fans thought about.

And it’s easy to understand why.

Reid played four seasons of college football. Under the new 5-for-5 framework, that seemingly leaves another season available to him.

Imagine adding Reid back into Pitt’s offense alongside Mason Heintschel, Ja’Kyrian Turner and the rest of the skill-position talent Pitt has assembled.

That would be fascinating.

But there’s one significant complication: Reid technically became a professional football player.

After leaving Pitt, Reid signed an undrafted free-agent contract with the Buffalo Bills. His time there was short-lived, but he nevertheless signed an NFL contract.

That distinction could ultimately prevent him from returning.

As this situation has developed, major conferences have taken the position that players who signed NFL contracts crossed the line from college athlete to professional athlete and therefore should not be allowed to return to college football.

If that position holds, Reid’s potential return to Pitt is effectively dead.

That’s why this story has experienced so many peaks and valleys.

1. Initially, the reaction was that Reid had only played four seasons, so maybe he could return.
2. Then the complications surrounding his NFL contract made a return seem unlikely.
3. Then players began receiving favorable decisions in court, seemingly reopening the possibility.
4. Now conference rules regarding players who signed professional contracts have created another significant roadblock.

Could something change again?

Considering the current state of college football, I wouldn’t rule out anything.

But right now, I wouldn’t expect Desmond Reid to be playing for Pitt this season.

Justin Holmes Is a Much More Interesting Possibility

The situation with Justin Holmes feels different.

And I think his situation is the one Pitt fans should be watching most closely.

Holmes played tight end for Pitt last season after the Panthers entered the year with considerable uncertainty at the position following the departure of Gavin Bartholomew.

Holmes emerged as a pleasant surprise.

He gave Pitt quality production at a position where the Panthers desperately needed someone to step forward.

Like Reid, Holmes played four seasons of college football.

Unlike Reid, he did not sign with an NFL team.

By all accounts, his football career was simply over.

Until suddenly, it potentially wasn’t.

That makes his situation much cleaner.

If Holmes is eligible under the new rules, wants to play another season and Pitt has an opportunity to bring him back, I think this should be a no-brainer.

Why Pitt Should Want Holmes Back

Tight end remains one of the bigger questions surrounding Pitt’s offense.

Multiple tight ends from last year’s roster are gone. Pitt addressed the position through the transfer portal, but there’s still uncertainty about exactly what the Panthers will get from the position.

Holmes could immediately change that.

• He knows Kade Bell’s offense.
• He knows Mason Heintschel.
• He knows the coaching staff.
• And most importantly, we’ve already seen him be productive in this system.

You’re not bringing in a transfer and hoping he can learn the offense quickly enough to contribute. You’re potentially bringing back an experienced player who could step into the room and immediately compete for a significant role.

For a Pitt offense generating considerable optimism entering the season, why wouldn’t you add another proven option if the rules allow you to do it?

What About the Roster Complications?

There are legitimate questions that come with bringing players back this late in the process.

What happens with roster limits?

Does another player lose his spot?

Could bringing back a veteran disrupt a position room where other players have spent the entire offseason preparing for larger roles?

Those are all fair questions.

But I keep coming back to the same conclusion.

If Pitt can legally bring back a player who makes the football team better, Pitt should do it.

This is an incredibly unique circumstance created by a changing set of rules. We’re probably never going to see this exact situation again.

If that creates an opportunity to improve your roster, take advantage of it.

Because nobody is going to care about Pitt taking some type of moral stand on roster construction if the Panthers aren’t winning football games.

If Pitt struggles at tight end this season, nobody is going to say, “Well, at least they didn’t disrupt the roster by bringing Justin Holmes back.”

They’re going to ask why Pitt didn’t do everything possible to improve the position when it had the opportunity.

College football coaches are ultimately judged by wins and losses. If the rules give you an opportunity to make your team better, I think you have to seriously consider it.

College Football Created This Mess

Is all of this ridiculous?

Absolutely.

We’re now having conversations about players potentially returning to college after beginning professional football careers.

That sounds insane because it is insane.

But that’s also where college football currently finds itself.

• Eligibility rules have changed.
• Transfer rules have changed.
• NIL has changed roster construction.
• Lawsuits continue to reshape what the NCAA and conferences can and cannot enforce.

The sport seems to create another unprecedented situation every few months.

Pitt didn’t create this mess.

The Panthers simply have to figure out how to operate within it.

For Desmond Reid, the NFL contract appears to be a significant obstacle that makes a return to Pitt unlikely.

Justin Holmes might be different.

If Holmes is eligible, wants to play and Pitt has room to bring him back, I think the Panthers should absolutely explore it.

Because as strange as the circumstances might be, adding a proven player who already knows your offense and fills a position of need makes your football team better.

And in the end, that’s what matters.