NFL and CFL Both Shut Out Texas Tech QB Involved in Massive Betting Scandal

Cincinnati transfer and future Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby attends an NCAA college basketball game between Texas Tech and Houston, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Lubbock, Texas. (AP Photo/Annie Rice)

Both the NFL and the Canadian Football League have announced they will not allow Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby to enter their leagues in 2026.

In the latest chapter of the Sorsby saga, the CFL said in a statement that its teams would not be allowed to sign Sorsby. The statement, obtained by USA Today, explicitly cited Sorsby’s gambling scandal that cost him his 2026 season in college. The USA Today report read:

“Upholding the integrity of the league and ensuring fair competition are paramount to the CFL. The allegations involving Brendan Sorsby are serious and concerning,” said the league.

“At this time, the CFL will not register a contract for him, and no team will be permitted to add him to its negotiation list.”

In April, it was announced that Sorsby would check himself into rehab for gambling addiction. The news came after the NCAA discovered that Sorsby placed thousands of bets throughout his first few years of college. Many of those bets included his own teams.

The NCAA later ruled Sorsby ineligible for the 2026-27 season. In June, however, a local Texas judge granted Sorsby a temporary injunction — clearing a path for Sorsby to return to the team and play.

That ruling was met with near-universal outrage, as many argued it set a dangerous precedent and ultimately rendered the NCAA powerless. Texas Tech officials stood by their decision to welcome Sorsby back to the program.

With the backlash mounting, Sorsby made the decision to forgo his final college football season. He would instead enter the NFL’s supplemental draft, a secondary draft for players who were unable to enter the NFL Draft for a variety of reasons. The NFL then announced that it would not hold a supplemental draft this year, meaning Sorsby would not play in the NFL.

As noted in USA Today’s report, Sorbsy’s only option remaining was to play at the junior college level.

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