The NCAA may have denied a waiver request that would have granted Trinidad Chambliss a sixth year of eligibility, but the battle to allow the Ole Miss quarterback to suit up for the Rebels in the 2026-27 season is far from over.
Tom Mars, the lead attorney representing Chambliss, plans to file a lawsuit against the NCAA in the state of Mississippi this week to obtain a preliminary injunction intended to allow the star signal-caller to play at the collegiate level this upcoming season, per a report from ESPN. Joining Mars in the litigation will be prominent Mississippi attorney William Liston. A familiar name in Ole Miss circles, Liston is the founder of The Grove Collective and currently serves as the NIL operative’s general counsel.
Mars, who has been vocally critical of the NCAA’s handling of Chambliss’ request, has maintained that taking the case to a Mississippi court would provide a level playing field. The lawsuit is anticipated to be filed sometime at the end of the week, though a specific date was not provided. The two attorneys, according to Mars, spent much of the weekend preparing the complaint.
Chambliss’ waiver seeks a retroactive redshirt for the 2022 season, where he reportedly dealt with an ongoing battle with respiratory issues that required him to get his tonsils removed. The NCAA, in its denial announcement on Friday, argued that Ole Miss and Ferris State did not submit sufficient evidence to prove that a medical condition sidelined him in 2022. NCAA officials noted that rules only allow one redshirt year, which Chambliss used as a true freshman in 2021.
“Approval requires schools to submit medical documentation provided by a treating physician at the time of a student’s incapacitating injury or illness, which was not provided. The documents provided by Ole Miss and the student’s prior school include a physician’s note from a December 2022 visit, which stated the student-athlete was ‘doing very well’ since he was seen in August 2022,” an official statement from the NCAA reads.
“Additionally, the student-athlete’s prior school indicated it had no documentation on medical treatment, injury reports, or medical conditions involving the student-athlete during that time frame and cited ‘developmental needs and our team’s competitive circumstances’ as its reason the student-athlete did not play in the 2022-23 season.”
Mars, on the other hand, pushed back on the assertion of insufficient medical documentation. In a letter sent to the NCAA prior to Chambliss’ waiver being denied, Mars highlighted comments made by the NCAA case manager assigned to Chambliss’ request. The case manager reportedly told a university administrator that a statement by Chambliss’ doctor was “sufficient proof” of his inability to compete in 2022, as reported by Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger.
Chambliss was one of the top storylines of college football’s 2025-26 season. After taking over for an injured Austin Simmons after a week-two win at Kentucky, Chambliss emerged as one of the top players at his position nationally, tossing for 3,937 yards, 22 touchdowns, and just a trio of picks, while logging 527 yards and eight scores on the ground. He shone in the Rebels’ inaugural College Football Playoff run, which ended in a 31-27 semifinals loss to Miami last Thursday.
On top of the medical contentions, Mars added that Chambliss potentially missing out on a sixth season would cause him irreparable financial harm. The field general recently struck a revenue-sharing deal with Ole Miss, reported to be more than $5 million with incentives. As things stand, Chambliss is ranked as the No. 6 quarterback prospect by ESPN ahead of April’s NFL Draft and would likely be a day-three selection if can’t return to the college ranks.
Ole Miss athletics director Keith Carter announced Friday that the university is appealing the NCAA’s decision to deny Chambliss another year. The suit by Mars and Liston, however, is a separate dealing, one similar to litigation former Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia pursued to earn a sixth season — which was a winning effort on his end.
The Rebels will begin the 2026-27 campaign versus Louisville in Nashville on Sept. 5. If Chambliss is not cleared to play, Ole Miss has a contingency plan named Deuce Knight. The talented George County native transferred from Auburn to be a member of Pete Golding’s inaugural season as head coach.
