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Shane Beamer Suspends Dylan Stewart Indefinitely After Punch

By Drooid · Sep 28, 2026, 2:11 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer suspended edge rusher Dylan Stewart indefinitely after a punch.
Stewart punched Alabama tight end Josh Ford’s helmet in the fourth quarter of a 49-18 loss.
The suspension bars Stewart from the October 3 game against No. 24 Kentucky.
Beamer said Stewart argued with coaches and refused to leave the field after the incident.
Stewart, a projected top-10 2027 NFL Draft pick, holds a $2 million NIL deal.

History

Historical Context

In June 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court’s NCAA v. Alston decision dismantled the league’s amateurism restrictions, permitting athletes to monetize their name, image, and likeness. The ruling forced the NCAA to adopt an NIL policy, and by 2023 over 1,200 college athletes secured contracts exceeding $100 million collectively. Now, South Carolina Gamecocks edge rusher Dylan Stewart, holder of a $2 million NIL deal, was suspended indefinitely after punching Alabama tight end Josh Ford’s helmet during a 49-18 loss. The episode illustrates how lucrative NIL agreements amplify disciplinary pressures, prompting conferences to tighten conduct codes and universities to enforce harsher penalties for on-field violence.

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Story summary

South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer suspended edge rusher Dylan Stewart indefinitely after a punch.
Stewart punched Alabama tight end Josh Ford’s helmet in the fourth quarter of a 49-18 loss.
The suspension bars Stewart from the October 3 game against No. 24 Kentucky.
Beamer said Stewart argued with coaches and refused to leave the field after the incident.
Stewart, a projected top-10 2027 NFL Draft pick, holds a $2 million NIL deal.

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