Time has passed quickly since Brendan Sorsby was found guilty of illegal sports gambling. On Monday, the whole of college football breathed a sigh of relief as the Big 12 took legal action against Texas Tech and the Texas attorney general regarding their decision to field Sorsby. Shortly after, both Sorsby and the program announced he would enter the NFL Supplemental Draft. In response, the Big 12 commissioner released a statement on the conference’s stance toward the program.

“Its been a challenging week for both our Conference and the college athletics landscape,” Bret Yomark wrote in his statement. “The Big 12 looks forward to moving ahead as 16 strong. We wish Brendan Sorsby success in his future endeavors.”

Yomark’s statement did not feature an explicit message to Texas Tech. But “16 strong” alludes to the number of programs in the conference, including Texas Tech. The number has remained since 2024, when the conference added Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado Buffaloes, and Utah Utes, while witnessing the departure of founding members Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners for the SEC. However, the good wishes for Brendan Sorsby, despite his causing a league-wide controversy, were not implicit.

Just yesterday, the Big 12 Conference was “15 strong” and one “weak.” All other member programs stood against the Red Raiders, as they filed a 47-page legal complaint in federal court against the Texas attorney general, the system’s chancellor, the school president, and athletic director. The conference, with the lawsuit, requested a declaratory judgment and an injunction to exercise its rights under the Bylaws and First Amendment against the player and the program.

Before this, the Big 12 had received a letter from the state’s attorney general. In it was a threat not to exercise its authority over Sorsby and the Red Raiders if the program fields the quarterback in the 2026 season. Refusing to do so would attract a lawsuit from the AG, according to the letter. The Big 12 answered the threat with a lawsuit.

All this happened after Judge Ken Curry’s court ruling, which granted Sorsby a preliminary injunction barring the NCAA from punishing him for his gambling violations. The NCAA judged Sorsby under its regulations and rendered him permanently ineligible after placing over 40 bets on his own team, Indiana. He placed over $90,000 in sports wagers across thousands of bets during his college career, directly violating the NCAA rule that prohibits student-athletes from placing bets on sports sponsored by the NCAA.

Sorsby hired attorney Jeffrey Kessler, known for NCAA litigation victories. Kessler won the case, and Sorsby got suspended for only two games until the trial in February 2027. However, athletic directors and coaches condemned the court’s ruling, with Nebraska and Georgia ADs even ordering their programs not to play Texas Tech if they field Sorsby.

Ultimately, the Big 12 filed its lawsuit. And just when we were all getting set for another court drama, or perhaps another Kessler genius, the perpetrator himself stepped in and calmed the storm. With this, Kessler is no longer the business of the Big 12 or the NCAA.

Texas Tech’s statement and the NFL Supplemental Draft

Both Sorsby and the program have released statements regarding his decision to enter the Supplemental Draft. The program issued a joint statement from President Lawrence Schovanec and Director of Athletics Kirby Hocutt, reiterating their support for Sorsby, despite moving on.

“When Brendan’s lawsuit resulted in the granting of a temporary injunction, we found ourselves in a difficult situation. With his health and wellness as our top priority, we supported him in spite of very different perspectives and opinions,” said Schovanec and Hocutt.

“Our position was challenged by many, but our support for him never changed. We will continue to extend all available resources that Brendan had as a student and athlete to ensure his transition is as successful as possible,” added the joint statement.

The NFL created the Supplementary Draft in 1977 as a way for players to join the league if they could not enter the NFL Draft in April. Teams typically choose players eligible for the supplemental draft by bidding a draft pick they would have used in the following season’s draft. If several teams pick Sorsby, the team that bids the highest round would draft him, while forfeiting that round in the 2027 NFL Draft.

The challenge for Sorsby, however, is that the supplementary NFL draft has been inactive since 2019, when the Arizona Cardinals selected Washington State safety Jalen Thompson with a fifth-round pick. But there is some hope for him, regardless. Terrelle Pryor went as high as the third round in 2011, while Josh Gordon was a second-round pick. Several NFL teams are reportedly interested in selecting him.