Bengals’ Shemar Stewart Has Unprecedented Path to Return to Texas A&M for Final Season
CINCINNATI, OH — In a surprising twist that’s shaking up both college football and NFL circles, Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Shemar Stewart is reportedly exploring an unprecedented route to return to Texas A&M for his final year of eligibility — a move that could redefine how players balance professional careers with unfinished college business.
Sources close to the situation say Stewart, a former five-star recruit and dominant force on the Aggies’ defensive line before declaring for the NFL, has been in confidential talks with Texas A&M officials and the NCAA about reinstating his eligibility under a rare combination of academic exception and NIL-driven incentives.
Though drafted by the Bengals and currently on their offseason roster, Stewart is said to be weighing his options as part of a strategic personal and professional recalibration — focusing on legacy, development, and possibly one final championship run in College Station.
“This isn’t just about football,” one source noted. “Shemar has always had unfinished business at A&M — academically, personally, and athletically. He wants to go back and lead that locker room.”
The path would involve Stewart formally pausing his NFL trajectory, leveraging NIL deals that reportedly exceed seven figures, and returning to the Aggies program with a chance to further boost his draft stock, graduate, and mentor the next wave of talent.
Neither Texas A&M nor the Bengals have publicly confirmed the move yet, but if approved, Stewart’s return would mark one of the most unconventional and bold reversals in modern college football history.
For now, the football world waits — and wonders if Shemar Stewart is about to rewrite the playbook on what it means to finish what you started.
