Cincinnati Holds Quarterback Brendan Sorsby Accountable in Landmark Lawsuit — Bengals Seek $1 Million Over Transfer Fallout, Highlighting Deepening Rift Between Player and Franchise as Legal Battle Unfolds and Raises Questions About Contract Rights, Team Loyalty, and Modern College-to-Pro Pathways.
Cincinnati is taking a former quarterback to court in hopes of enforcing a $1 million exit fee he is refusing to pay after transferring to a different football program.
The school is suing ex-quarterback Brendan Sorsby in federal court, alleging he breached an NIL contract with Cincinnati when he left to play for Texas Tech, ESPN reported.
In a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, the university is seeking $1 million in liquidated damages.
Brendan Sorsby of the Cincinnati Bearcats scrambles during the second half against the TCU Horned Frogs at Amon G. Carter Stadium on November 29, 2025 in Fort Worth, Texas.
“In his lucrative NIL agreement with Cincinnati Athletics, Brendan Sorsby committed to stay and play for two seasons as a proud Bearcat representative,” Cincinnati said in a statement to ESPN. “He also agreed that if he left the university before that time, he would pay the university a specific amount for the substantial harm that his breach would cause.
“Cincinnati Athletics intends to enforce that contractual commitment. As stewards of the university’s resources, the Athletics Department has a duty to do so. We thank Brendan for his time at Cincinnati and wish him success in the future.”
The suit alleges that signal-caller’s reps “advised that Sorsby refuses to pay the University anything” and that he violated the terms of his NIL deal when he was featured in a billboard in Times Square announcing his commitment to Texas Tech, following his entry into the transfer portal on Jan. 2.
Sorsby agreed to a NIL deal with Texas Tech that will pay him between a reported $4-$6 million for the 2026 season.
The NIL deal he had with Cincinnati was supposed to last 18 months and run for the 2025 and 2026 seasons, according to the lawsuit.
As part of the suit, Cincinnati said that it had paid the quarterback a sizable amount in 2025 “with the express expectation that it would realize the majority of the benefits during the following season, 2026, after Sorsby’s play developed and his brand grew.”
Future Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby shouts during the first half of the game between the Houston
Cougars and the Texas Tech Red Raiders at United Supermarkets Arena on January 24, 2026 in Lubbock, Texas.
Sorsby threw for 2,800 yards with 27 touchdowns and five interceptions during the 2025 season.
He completed 61.6 percent of his passes and rushed for another 580 yards and nine touchdowns.
