NFL Says No to Supplemental Draft, and Brendan Sorsby’s Lawyer Is Threatening to Sue

The NFL dropped a letter on Brendan Sorsby this week. No supplemental draft. Sorry, kid.

Tom Pelissero reported the league informed the former Indiana and would-be Texas Tech quarterback that the 2026 supplemental draft isn’t happening. Sorsby had petitioned for a spot after the NCAA ruled him ineligible for betting on college football games, including wagers involving his own teammates during his 2022 redshirt freshman season at Indiana. He admitted to placing at least 40 bets on college games, with some involving Hoosier teammates — bets he said were made expecting them to play well.

The NFL’s letter didn’t mince words. It pointed out that Sorsby filed his petition just three business days before the deadline, without any supporting documentation, and only after he walked away from a court fight trying to avoid NCAA sanctions.

“The issues presented by your Petition are too significant, and too closely tied to the League’s core integrity interests, to permit meaningful review within the timeline presented,” the league wrote.

The letter also suggested Sorsby was trying to dodge accountability rather than own up to his mistakes. After the NCAA yanked his eligibility in May, the league noted, he “sought to avoid the consequences of that determination through litigation rather than accepting responsibility.” Commissioner Roger Goodell has made it clear that playing in the NFL is a privilege with responsibilities attached, and the league felt Sorsby hadn’t shown he understood that.

Sorsby’s Lawyer Fires Back

But Sorsby’s camp isn’t going quietly. Pete Thamel got a quote from attorney Jeffrey Kessler, who ripped the NFL’s decision and threatened legal action.

“It is a violation of the CBA and the law,” Kessler said. “We will pursue this immediately with the NFLPA.”

So that’s going to be a thing now. The NFL Players Association might get dragged into a fight over whether the league can just skip the supplemental draft whenever it feels like it. The CBA does give the NFL the power to decide whether to hold one, but Kessler argues the way they handled Sorsby’s case specifically is the problem.

This all started when a judge granted Sorsby a temporary injunction that would have let him play for Texas Tech in 2026 while his eligibility case played out in court. He would have missed the first two games, but at least he’d be on the field. Then the NCAA appealed. Then Texas Tech Board of Regents chair Cody Campbell confirmed Sorsby wouldn’t be part of the program in 2026 after all.

What’s Next for Sorsby

The NFL’s letter did leave the door cracked open. It encouraged Sorsby to focus on preparing for the 2027 regular draft, calling him “a talented player with the potential for future success.” That’s polite for: we’re not dealing with this right now, come back next year like everyone else.

Sorsby’s immediate future is a question mark. He can’t play college ball. He can’t enter the supplemental draft. He’s in a weird no-man’s land, and his lawyer is now trying to turn it into a labor law case against the league. Whether that goes anywhere or just delays things further, nobody really knows yet.