College football has changed drastically over the past several years leading to some stories that we've truly never seen before. NIL and the Transfer Portal have given college football a form of free agency, and while some players spend their entire career at one school, others become mercenaries constantly moving to new schools. Quarterback TJ Finley may be the best example of just how crazy this era can be.
TJ Finley first arrived on the scene as a 3-star recruit out of Louisiana in the 2020 recruiting cycle. Finley was in the same class with the likes of Bryce Young, CJ Stroud, and Anthony Richardson who have been in the NFL for several seasons.
Throughout his career, TJ Finley spent a season at LSU, 2 seasons at Auburn, 1 season at Texas State, 1 season at Western Kentucky, a semester at Tulane, 1 season at Georgia State, and joined Incarnate Word this offseason.
TJ Finley's wild college football career has finally come to an end
When TJ Finley joined Incarnate Word this offseason for his 7th school, everyone was stunned that he was still playing college football at this point. On Wednesday, it was reported that TJ Finley was no longer a member of the Incarnate Word program.
TJ Finley is no longer part of the Incarnate Word program, sources tell @mzenitz and me for @CBSSports.
— Chris Hummer (@chris_hummer) March 25, 2026
Finley transferred to Incarnate Word this offseason after career stops at LSU, Auburn, Texas State, Western Kentucky, Tulane and Georgia State.https://t.co/tdTxMLYGGH pic.twitter.com/rfJMmzsnNz
Shortly after the news was announced, it was revealed that TJ Finley would be entering his name into the NFL Draft.
NEW: Georgia State transfer QB TJ Finley is declaring for the NFL draft instead of enrolling at Incarnate Word, he tells @PeteNakos https://t.co/XFK2FMX4i9 pic.twitter.com/PRiZfMteEo
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal) March 25, 2026
The news comes as a surprise given the timing of TJ Finley's decision as he's certainly set himself back. Events like the Senior Bowl and the Shrine Bowl where Finley could've tried to bolster his stock have already passed while teams have already been evaluating other players for far longer.
TJ Finley's wild ride in college football has finally come to an end, and it's pretty wild to think about how long he played for. Finley played for Ed Orgeron at LSU and Bryan Harsin at Auburn outlasting both coaches along with their successors. While his career may have never reached the heights that seemed possible when he started as a freshman at LSU, he certainly had a memorable career.