An amazingly convoluted and winding story may have finally had its final chapter for 2026. Given the litigious nature of things already, this is probably not the last we have heard of QB Brendan Sorsby’s career and pursuit of the NFL, but as of Tuesday, the league has denied his entry into the Supplemental Draft.
The risk-reward of selecting Sorsby has been a big discussion point among Cleveland Browns fans. Those in favor of the move are now back to looking at options in the 2027 NFL draft and/or
hoping Shedeur Sanders has a big-step-forward season, if he isn’t traded.
In a letter to Sorsby, the NFL laid out the reason for denying Sorsby’s entry, including concerns related to his petition for entry lacking:
The League does not have the complete record of the NCAA’s investigation, and you did not provide any such materials with your Petition. Available information nonetheless indicates that, over the course of your collegiate career, you knowingly engaged in repeated and significant violations of NCAA rules designed to preserve the integrity of athletic competition. Reported conduct includes placing wagers on your own team and teammates and, to avoid detection, establishing or funding accounts in the names of intermediaries who placed bets on your behalf. There are also reports that you may have violated state criminal law.
Your Petition does not address these matters. Nor does it demonstrate accountability for your conduct or indicate whether, or how, you would adhere to 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 you pursued entry into the NFL only after abandoning those efforts.
You can read the entire letter here.
The letter notes that playing in the NFL is a privilege, not a right.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Sorsby is not eligible to enter the NFL as a free agent and has no avenue to enter the league in 2026. Instead, Sorsby can look to play in alternative leagues.
It is also possible that Sorsby will continue to fight for the ability to play in the NFL through the legal system, but the NFL has won those battles in the past, including previously with Ohio State Buckeyes RB Maurice Clarett. Clarett’s case involved the NFL’s age limit, but could be seen as setting a precedent.
Even if the legal system is able to provide Sorsby a path to the NFL, the league’s stance and lack of a scheduled Supplemental Draft could limit a team’s ability to acquire the young quarterback.
The Sorsby to the NFL case is closed, for now.
