Duke quarterback Thomas Sirk will be back in Durham to play for the Blue Devils next season. The NCAA has granted him an extra year of eligibility to allow him to play in 2017 after sitting out the entire 2016 season with a partial Achilles tendon tear.
“I’m so grateful to have a sixth year to continue my dream of playing college football and, academically, work towards another degree from Duke University,” Sirk said in a released statement.
Duke announced Sirk underwent a season-ending surgery back in September. He was one of three Duke players to undergo a season-ending surgery, joining freshmen safety Javon Jackson and defensive tackle Zach Morris. At the time, it was unknown if Sirk would pursue a sixth year of eligibility with an NCAA waiver, although it was expected he would be nearly certain to receive approval for a waiver if he applied. Sirk missed the entire 2013 season with an Achilles injury.