Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby has been dealt a monumental blow in his fight for eligibility following an NCAA investigation into his gambling activity.
It was revealed on Tuesday that the NCAA had denied the signal caller’s request for reinstatement for the 2026 season, despite completing a 35-day in-patient rehab.
According to The Athletic, the Red Raiders star is expected to appeal the decision, having filed a separate lawsuit seeking a temporary injunction for the 2026 season.
The 22-year-old has a court date set for June 1 in Lubbock County.
Sorsby checked himself into a residential rehab facility for gambling addiction in April, deciding to seek help after he was found to have made thousands of online bets across a variety of sports.
As a result, the NCAA had investigated his betting history due to the fact it strictly prohibits its athletes from wagering money on both collegiate and professional sports.
The NCAA has denied Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby’s request for reinstatement for eligibility for the 2026 season following an investigation into his gambling activity
It was discovered that Sorsby had made thousands of online bets across a variety of sports
The NCAA’s investigation centered on whether he placed bets while on Indiana’s roster in 2022, which could lead to the permanent loss of his college eligibility.
The signal caller redshirted for Indiana that season but did play one game. The bets were on Indiana to win but none were placed on games he appeared in.
‘All of these bets were in support of Indiana,’ Sorsby wrote in an affidavit in the lawsuit.
‘In other words, I placed bets on Indiana to win a game or score more than a certain number of points or for the quarterback to throw for more than a certain number of touchdowns or yards.’
The Texas Tech star’s attorney, Jeffrey Kessler, had argued that Sorsby’s gambling addiction is a clinically diagnosed disorder, recognized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
Kessler has worked with some of the biggest sports stars on the planet, including Tom Brady during the infamous Deflategate scandal.
‘Deflategate’ refers to the accusation that the New England Patriots improperly deflated footballs used in the 2014 AFC championship game to help Brady’s grip when throwing them.
The legendary quarterback was ultimately suspended four games in 2016, while the team was fined $1million and docked a first and fourth-round NFL Draft pick.
Kessler also represented NBA legend Michael Jordan during his recent legal battle with NASCAR, which was settled in December 2025.
The quarterback was inundated with offers after deciding to transfer away from Cincinnati
The NBA great, who is a co-owner of NASCAR team 23XI Racing, filed an antitrust lawsuit against the motorsports organization to push for fairer revenue sharing and permanent team charters in the sport.
Earlier this offseason Sorsby transferred to Texas Tech from Cincinnati, who announced on February 26 they would sue him for breaching his NIL contract.
He was ranked No. 1 in ESPN’s transfer portal rankings and was set to be of major interest to NFL teams going into next year’s draft.
The 22-year-old was also reportedly set to earn more than $5million in NIL this year with the Red Raiders.
