Terrelle Pryor, ex-teammates want Ohio State records restored

Former Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Terrelle Pryor (10) enters the field during training camp at Dream Finders Home Practice Complex. Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports

Terrelle Pryor, former teammates want Ohio State records restored

By Chelena Goldman | Last updated 7/13/21

Former quarterback Terrelle Pryor and other members of Ohio State's "Tattoo-gate" debacle are asking for their college records to be restored, according to an ESPN report.

Pryor -- along with other former Buckeyes players DeVier Posey, Solomon Thomas, Mike Adams and Daniel "Boom" Herron -- received disciplinary action from the NCAA over a decade ago for exchanging free tattoos for memorabilia. Their punishment included having their individual records and team victories removed from their records.

Now that NCAA athletes are able to make money from endorsements thanks to the new NIL ruling, the former teammates, referring to themselves as the "Tattoo 5," are asking for their records to be reinstated.

The time has come @NCAA @OSU_AD @OhioStAthletics @Channel75live @DPo8 @BOOMHERRON1 #solomonThomas @AdamSchefter we should get our wins back records back and legacy of @JimTressel5 back and not looked past it! NCAA suspended us but let us play in the sugar bowl win vs Arkansas pic.twitter.com/pGpEvJCbx5
— Terrelle Pryor SR (@TerrellePryor) July 13, 2021

"The affirmation of NCAA athletes' rights to make a living from their name, image, and likeness is a huge step in the right direction," the letter from the former players read."Armed with the correct resources and support, we know they'll show what we felt to be true all along -- not letting athletes capitalize on what ultimately is their hard work was unjust and unnecessary."

The NCAA ruled in December 2010 that the five players and head coach Jim Tressell would be suspended for five games for breaking rules around profiting from an athlete's name. (All five players were then allowed to play in the Sugar Bowl a couple weeks later and Pryor went on to be part of the NFL draft.) It was revealed the following that players had been turning profits dating back to 2002, which forced Tressell to resign in May 2011.

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