Brendan Sorsby plans to punt on further litigation, which finalizes that the former Indiana and Cincinnati quarterback will not play professional football until 2027.
Sorsby accepted the NFL’s rejection of his application for the supplemental draft and informed the league on Tuesday he won’t file a lawsuit to challenge the latest ruling that will keep him off the field.
“I accept 100% responsibility for my actions. I did not have control of my gambling problem and it took getting caught for me to realize that, but it was truly the best thing that could’ve happened to me. Because of this, I have been able get the help I need and fully focus on my recovery,” Sorsby said in a statement Tuesday. “The news about the supplemental draft changes nothing about my recovery journey — I will continue to take it one day at a time. Focusing on making myself better throughout this process and making sure to share what I have learned and will continue to learn with others going forward. I am fully committed to being the best version of myself that I can be while getting ready for the 2027 draft. God makes no mistakes and I look forward to seeing the good that is to come from this.”
All 32 NFL teams received a memo this week confirming Sorsby’s position. According to multiple reports, the memo included confirmation from “the NFLPA and Brendan Sorsby that there will be no further litigation regarding his entry into the NFL. Instead, Mr. Sorsby will focus on his preparation for entry into the League via the 2027 NFL Draft.”
The NFL chided Sorsby for a lack of accountability in its formal denial of his supplemental draft request, a harsh rebuke penned by NFL legal counsel Lawrence P. Ferazani Jr. He criticized Sorsby for failing to accept “responsibility for your actions” and trying to avoid consequences first through litigation and then by attempting to enter the NFL supplemental draft.
Sorsby was ranked the No. 1 quarterback in the transfer portal in December, when he left Cincinnati to join Texas Tech for a reported payday in the $5 million range.
Sorsby admitted to violating NCAA rules by placing thousands of bets, including 40 on Indiana football while he was on the Hoosiers’ roster. Sorsby transferred to Cincinnati after two years in Bloomington, Ind.
The NCAA ruled Sorsby ineligible to play for Texas Tech this fall for violating its policy on gambling, which prevents any student-athlete from placing bets on any NCAA-sanctioned event. Penalties for gambling, especially for cases where the player bets on their own team, can include permanent bans.
A district judge in Lubbock County granted an injunction on June 8 that cleared a path for Sorsby to play for Texas Tech until a court date after the 2026 season, but the NCAA issued an immediate appeal over the decision that outraged athletic directors and coaches across the country.
The Big 12 responded in a similar vein, asking courts to hold Sorsby and Texas Tech accountable for violations.
At that point, Sorsby and his attorney, Jeffrey Kessler, opted to drop the fight with the NCAA to pursue an immediate path to pro football. But the NFL denied Sorsby’s bid to enter the supplemental draft and the CFL prohibited its nine teams from signing the 22-year-old.
–Field Level Media
