A Texas court’s decision to allow Brendan Sorsby to play the 2026 season has received widespread condemnation. College programs are debating whether they should play Texas Tech anymore, given their support for the quarterback. For former Heisman winner Cam Newton, it all comes down to integrity, and despite Sorsby’s public admission of gambling addiction, letting him play sets a bad precedent.

“Man, it’s unfortunate,” said Newton during his June 8 appearance on the 4th & 1 With Cam Newton podcast, when asked if Sorsby should be allowed to play college football. “But I think we take this time to use this as a teaching tool for others. It’s so easy for a person to get lured into betting, gambling, or any type of integrity-questionable thing to do.”

“If I’m the judge, I think Sorsby’s career is over. And it’s unfortunate. He’s extremely talented. All right. But what his argument is versus what the opposing counsel is going against, I don’t think it will be a good look for the NCAA to allow this type of behavior to happen and still to continue.”

As per court documents, Sorsby said that his gambling was an act of “compulsion”; he “did not place bets for the purpose of making money.” His legal defense hinges on the hypocrisy of the NCAA, as his lawyers argued that the governing body weaponized Sorsby’s medically diagnosed gambling addiction, while the organization made a profit from the gambling ecosystem. But all these are meaningless to Newton.

“He’s falling on the fact that I had a sickness or an addiction. I get it, bro. But just like a drug addiction can be detrimental to a person (Josh Gordon), this is the same thing. There is nothing like being in a messed-up situation or being burned from that situation that’s going to alter it… I’m a product of a second chance. But what do you say to other individuals that may get caught gambling and now he got away with it?” Newton asked.

Sorsby placed over 9,000 impermissible bets of at least $90,000 across a 4-year period. Crucially, 40 of these bets were on Indiana games when he was a redshirt freshman for the Hoosiers in 2022. Under the NCAA’s strict sports-wager rule, it warrants a permanent ban.

Texas Tech is also facing heat over this temporary injunction against Sorsby’s ban. Multiple Big 12 programs have expressed reluctance to play the Red Raiders in the future. Even Georgia AD Josh Brooks said that he has directed his office not to schedule any games with Texas Tech in any sport.

The reasoning is simple for Brooks. Every team should play under a standard set of rules. If you violate the rules, you must be punished. That hasn’t happened with the Texas Tech QB.

Following his breakout season at Cincinnati with 2,800 yards, Sorsby transferred to Texas Tech for a $5 million NIL deal in January 2026.

The legal battle continues

Following the temporary injunction, the Texas Tech QB is permitted to practice and play with the Red Raiders. However, after the court defeat, the NCAA released a scathing statement, saying that the verdict will have “damaging, far-reaching, and broadly destabilizing ramifications.”

The organization filed an “accelerated appeal” to a higher Texas court on June 9, 2026, to block Brendan Sorsby from taking the field in the 2026 season. But nothing is settled yet. Meanwhile, the Texas court scheduled the QB’s full trial against the NCAA ban for February 8, 2027, after the conclusion of the next season.