Cincinnati sues Sorsby over $1M exit fee after Texas Tech transfer - ESPN

ESPN

by Mark Schlabach

February 26, 2026

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Cincinnati has filed a federal lawsuit against former quarterback Brendan Sorsby, alleging he breached his NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) contract by refusing to pay a $1 million exit fee after transferring to Texas Tech. The university claims Sorsby signed an 18-month NIL agreement in June 2024, committing to stay for the 2025 and 2026 seasons. However, Sorsby notified Cincinnati on December 1, 2025, that he would no longer play for the team and skipped their postseason game against Navy. Shortly after entering the transfer portal on January 2, 2026, Sorsby signed a lucrative NIL deal with Texas Tech, which reportedly pays him between $4 million and $6 million this season. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, seeks $1 million in liquidated damages from Sorsby, as per his contract. Cincinnati argues that Sorsby’s failure to pay breaches his agreement with the university, which obligated him to compensate them if he left before the end of his commitment. The suit also alleges that Sorsby’s image appeared on a digital billboard in New York’s Times Square promoting his transfer to Texas Tech, further violating the terms of his NIL contract with Cincinnati. Sorsby, a highly-rated transfer quarterback from Indiana, led the Bearcats to a 7-5 record in 2025 while completing 61.6% of his passes and throwing for 2,800 yards with 27 touchdowns. The university claims it invested significant resources into developing Sorsby’s brand and expected to benefit from his growing NIL value during the

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Originally published on ESPN on 2/26/2026