The NCAA has suspended Tennessee Volunteers linebacker Arion Carter for two games after he accepted a $427 plane ticket from an NFL agent, according to reports. Carter, who explored entering the 2026 NFL Draft before deciding to return to school, reimbursed the agent for the cost of the flight. The suspension was handed down as college athletics continues to distribute millions in name, image, and likeness (NIL) payments to players. Carter had recently returned from an injury to play for Tennessee. The NCAA's decision penalizes the junior for impermissible contact with an agent, a violation of its amateurism rules. The suspension sidelines Carter for the first two games of the upcoming season. Neither the NCAA nor Tennessee immediately commented on the ruling. The incident highlights ongoing tensions between the NCAA's enforcement of traditional rules and the evolving landscape of athlete compensation.