Texas A&M coach Mike Elko: "No intentions" of Shemar Stewart returning to Aggies

The headline at ESPN.com speaks in absolutes. The relevant quote absolutely does not.

In a story sold as Texas A&M coach Mike Elko saying that Bengals defensive end Shemar Stewart won’t be returning to the Aggies, Elko’s actual words leave more than a little gray.

“There’s no intentions of Shemar to play for the Aggies this year,” Elko told ESPN’s Shae Cornette, via Ben Baby of ESPN.com. “But Shemar has been around. He’s very comfortable in our program. Really likes what we do training-wise. He’s been training, getting ready for his season this year with the Bengals. We wish him the best.”

No intentions. That’s very different from “no way, no how.” Intentions can change. Sometimes, they do.

It’s a phrase that has emerged from time to time in NFL circles regarding a player who’s rumored to be available in trade. We have “no intention” to trade the player. And then we trade him.

Stewart can, in theory, go to any college program. The transfer portal is unenforceable. If someone makes him an offer that would justify sitting out for 2025 and joining the Bengals in 2026, maybe he’ll try.

And, yes, he’d need to challenge the rule that players who are drafted lose any remaining eligibility. At a time when plenty of NCAA rules have fallen, why not give it a whirl?

If Stewart plays no football in 2025, he could refuse to sign with the Bengals and re-enter the draft in 2026. If he plays college football in 2025, the Bengals would hold his rights as if they’d drafted him in 2026.

It all becomes moot if/when the Bengals sign Stewart to a rookie deal. For now, the Bengals remain stubborn over esoteric language that would void all remaining guarantees in the event of a default.

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