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Brendan Sorsby’s NFL future won’t begin in 2026, as the league decided not to hold a supplemental draft this year.
Sorsby admitted to having engaged in a long period of sports betting on college and professional teams, with bets totaling more than $90,000. Among those bets were some on Indiana Hoosiers football, which he was playing for at the time.
As part of the collective bargaining agreement between the league and the Players Association, he had the right to have a draft first. Therefore, league officials felt it would be a distraction for teams to hold the supplemental draft since training camp was scheduled to begin later this summer.
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Brendan Sorsby of the Cincinnati Bearcats leaves the field after the team defeated the Baylor Bears 41-20 at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, on October 25, 2025. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Larry Ferazani, general counsel of the NFL Board of Directors, wrote a letter to Sorsby explaining the league’s decision.
“The League has not held such a draft for several years and, prior to its introduction, the League had no plans to do so this year, as no other player has applied to enter,” Ferazani’s letter said, according to several outlets. “Your Petition, filed three business days before the deadline, without any supporting information or documentation, and only after abandoning your recent litigation efforts to avoid NCAA sanctions, does not provide a basis for the League to modify those plans. The issues raised by your Petition are too important and too closely tied to the League’s core integrity interest to allow for meaningful revision within the presented timeline.
BRENDAN SORSBY ADMITS TO BETTING NEARLY $90,000 DURING COLLEGE CAREER AS NCAA WRESTLING HEATS UP
Ferazani’s letter went on to say that the “only reasons” for seeking entry in a supplemental draft were because the NCAA “declared him ineligible” after trying every avenue to continue his college career. He also notes that Sorsby’s petition to the league does not address his playing history.
“Your petition does not address these issues. Nor does it demonstrate responsibility for your conduct or indicate whether or how you would comply with the League’s rules and policies governing the integrity of competition. Instead, even after receiving notice of the NCAA’s decision rescinding your college eligibility in May, you sought to avoid the consequences of that determination through litigation rather than accepting responsibility for your actions, and sought to enter the NFL only after abandoning those efforts.
Quarterback Brendan Sorsby of the Cincinnati Bearcats speaks to the media during Big 12 Media Days at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas on July 8, 2025. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
“As Commissioner Goodell has emphasized, participation in the NFL is a privilege that comes with important responsibilities, including accountability. Without a doubt, you are a talented player with the potential for future success. We encourage you to focus on preparing for a potential entry into the NFL through the 2027 Annual NFL Draft.”
Sorsby’s attorney, Jeffrey Kessler, told OutKick’s Trey Wallace that the league’s decision is “a violation of the collective bargaining agreement and the law.”
“We will pursue this immediately with the NFLPA,” Kessler added.
Texas Tech’s Brendan Sorsby watches during the spring football game at Jones AT&T Stadium on April 17, 2026. (© Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
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Sorsby had been in the middle of an NCAA investigation related to his sports betting for months before an eventual split with Texas Tech. He finally decided to part ways with the program on the same day the Big 12 filed a lawsuit in federal court in Texas where they wanted the power to sanction the Red Raiders for playing against Sorsby this season.
Now, as Sorsby will continue to focus on fighting his gambling addiction, he may have to look elsewhere to continue playing. The UFL season ended earlier this month and the Canadian Football League runs from June to November. Sorsby could also take some time off and prepare for the 2027 NFL Draft, as Ferazani’s letter suggests.
