Sports

Brendan Sorsby Ruled Himself Ineligible To Leave Texas Tech With Nothing But Bad Press

by Last Updated

iStockphoto / Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images / USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect


Brendan Sorsby will not play college football at Texas Tech in the 2026 season. The quarterback announced his plans to enter the NFL’s supplemental draft on Monday.

The news comes following an awful PR campaign that triggered a Big 12 complaint. The Red Raiders stained their reputation for a player that will never suit up for the university.

The leadership team in Lubbock is the ultimate loser.

Brendan Sorsby is headed to the NFL.

The quarterback’s college career has come to a tumultuous end. Sorsby suited up for Indiana and Cincinnati across four seasons. He will no longer pursue his opportunity with Texas Tech.

The passer’s drama has been widely discussed. Sorsby admitted to gambling on college football games, including some on his own team while in Bloomington.

He then sued the NCAA to earn an injunction and eligibility for the 2026 campaign.

Texas Tech owed its transfer upwards of $4 million. It did not plan on benching Sorsby after receiving the eligibility ruling.

As a result, the school received massive criticism. Administration backed its investment. The optics were bad.

Joey McGuire downplayed the offense by comparing Sorsby’s crimes to murder. Mega-booster Cody Campbell deflected attention to programs like Georgia and LSU. The school released a 20-minute-long social media video defending its actions.

The Texas attorney general then threatened the Big 12 with a legal war. The conference responded by filing a formal complaint in which it pushed to bar Texas Tech from the championship game.

The Big 12’s complaint was a message. The league was not backing down. In fact, it was seeking to regain authority to enforce its bylaws as they relate to player eligibility. That may or may not have impacted Sorsby’s decision making.

The Red Raiders largely refused to take accountability for the backlash. It was a major PR fail. And now, it is one that was all for naught.

Sorsby ruled himself ineligible.

Brendan Sorsby’s attorneys plan to withdraw their lawsuit Tuesday, per source. That means he will officially be ineligible under the NCAA’s ruling, clearing the way for him to enter the NFL supplemental draft.

-Tom Pelissero / X

The NFL Supplemental Draft is typically reserved for ineligible players. Brendan Sorsby’s injunction made him eligible for competition. That status could’ve prevented him from entering selection process. He’s now overturned the ruling himself.

The quarterback plans to withdraw his lawsuit. His status will return to ineligible.

The supplemental draft was always on the table. It was never the top option. Sorsby wanted to play at Texas Tech. He was being paid handsomely to do so. The NFL was the backup plan.

Now, he’s been somewhat forced to choose option 2. Timing was crucial. He needed to have a guarantee that he’d play college football by June 22nd.

With the NCAA and Big 12 continuing to pursue punishment, he made the decision to move on. He wasn’t willing to risk his future. It was an act of self-preservation.

Sorsby will still get a chance to make money playing football. Texas Tech gets nothing but bad press. The school won’t be able to rebuild its image overnight.

The Red Raiders prioritized a player over integrity. They made their bed and now must lay in it.