A name that briefly passed through Cleveland’s roster this offseason is now headed in a direction few expected, choosing to step away from the NFL entirely and pursue a return to college football. Andrew Siciliano shared the surprising news regarding running back TJ Harden, confirming that Harden’s brief stint bouncing between NFL training camps this August has now come to an end following a decision to reenter the college ranks through the transfer portal.
Siciliano provided the context connecting Harden’s recent NFL camp stops to this unexpected career pivot.
“Harden has been in camp with the Browns and Seahawks in August,” Siciliano wrote.
Harden has been in camp with the Browns and Seahawks in August. https://t.co/5SxbNBM0y5
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) August 20, 2026
According to the original report from On3’s Pete Nakos, Harden plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal after previously playing college football at both SMU and UCLA.
The decision to pursue a return to college football rather than continuing to fight for a roster spot heading into final NFL cuts suggests Harden and his representation determined that additional college eligibility offered a more promising path forward than remaining on the fringes of NFL camp rosters. With the transfer portal window still active and the college football season approaching quickly, Harden now faces the process of finding a new program willing to add him this late in the offseason cycle, a challenge that comes with its own unique timing pressures given how close the college season sits on the calendar.
While Harden never factored significantly into Cleveland’s plans during his brief time in Berea, his departure from professional football back toward the college ranks offers an interesting footnote to a training camp that has otherwise been dominated by headline storylines surrounding the quarterback competition and various roster battles across the depth chart heading into Saturday’s crucial preseason matchup against Buffalo.
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