Former Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby’s avenues to play pro football closed this year after he didn’t pursue litigation against the NFL. The QB has reached a key settlement that makes him eligible for the 2027 NFL draft. Now, he is privately training and focusing on physical conditioning. As he looks ahead, Texas Tech HC Joey McGuire continues to support his former QB.

“I told the team this team meeting, the second time, like, this is going to be one of those moments. And we believe that these are not words on the wall,” Joey McGuire said about Sorsby on Texas Tech’s July 3 podcast. “This is who we are. This is our DNA, and this is 100% what’s next moment. I talked to Brendan the other day, and he’s doing well. He’s in Dallas.

“He’s training and working through a lot of stuff, and we are here to support him. And he knows anytime he’s in Lubbock, this building’s open for him. We’ll continue supporting, but we’re really fortunate to have the leadership that we have.”

Brendan Sorsby’s troubles began after the NCAA denied him the opportunity to play college football due to his gambling violations. Although he won an injunction against the governing body, no FBS program will be willing to take him on their rosters after Texas Tech parted ways with him. That came after widespread backlash over the program’s decision to suit him up this year, despite his acceptance of betting on his own team.

Following the NFL’s decision not to conduct the supplemental draft this year, the CFL also closed its doors for him. The Canadian league released a statement instructing all its teams not to select Brendan Sorsby due to “integrity” violations. For now, though, Sorsby has settled with the NFL and the NFLPA, and he has already received an invitation to the 2027 Senior Bowl. During the whole process, Texas Tech has been immensely supportive of Sorsby.

Immediately after Sorsby’s gambling violations came to light, the University President, Lawrence Schovanec, publicly supported Sorsby. Although he was given an indefinite leave from the team, the program helped him undergo a 35-day rehabilitation process for his gambling addiction problem. At the Big 12 meeting, head coach Joey McGuire again publicly stood behind his QB1 and called Texas Tech the “best place” for Sorsby to get help and play football.

Thereafter, when the court ruled in Sorsby’s favor, allowing him to play college football this year, AD Kirby Hocutt again rallied behind him. That support came even after the Big 12, other programs in the conference, and even some in the SEC and the Big 10 condemned Texas Tech and called for its boycott. Now, even when Sorsby has moved on from the whole controversy and is preparing for the next chapter, the Red Raiders haven’t held back in supporting their former QB.

After Sorsby settled with the NFL, he released a statement accepting “100% responsibility” for his gambling violations. He is preparing well, both physically and mentally, and is also working on his rehabilitation. Texas Tech couldn’t support Brendan Sorsby by allowing him to play football. But their doors remain open to their former QB, who wants to realize his dream of playing in the pros.