Over the last three years, athletes who graduated from service academies have been allowed to defer active-duty service for two years to pursue a career in professional sports. But, for players like Army linebacker Andre Carter II, that dream may no longer be a reality in the wake of a new congressional bill that could alter that privilege.
Carter, a talented senior tabbed as a potential first-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft, and other athletes in his position could no longer be allowed to delay active-duty if President Joe Biden signs the newly introduced amendment. Congressional leaders proposed in their annual defense authorization bill that allowing athletes to delay active-duty upon graduation should be considered “a breach of agreement to serve as an officer,” according to the Military Times.