NFL Rejects Sorsby's 2026 Supplemental Draft Bid
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- NFL declined Brendan Sorsby's application for the 2026 supplemental draft and will not stage the event for the third consecutive year, exercising discretion granted to the league under the CBA
- Sorsby transferred from Indiana to Texas Tech this spring and checked into rehab for a sports gambling addiction after it emerged he had bet on his own games while with the Hoosiers
- NCAA declared Sorsby ineligible for his senior season; he obtained an injunction overriding that ruling but then chose to pursue a professional career
- Larry Ferazani of the NFL Management Council wrote in a formal letter that the integrity issues were 'too significant, and too closely tied to the League's core integrity interest, to permit meaningful review within the timeline presented'
- NFL cited two specific deficiencies: Sorsby did not provide the complete record of the NCAA's investigation into his gambling and did not take accountability for his conduct
- Jeffrey Kessler, Sorsby's attorney, called the NFL's decision 'a violation of the CBA and the law' and said they 'will pursue this immediately with the NFLPA'
- Sorsby cannot sign with an NFL team as a free agent in 2026 and is left with options limited to other professional leagues; he remains eligible for the 2027 NFL Draft, while safety Jalen Thompson in 2019 remains the last player to enter the league via the supplemental draft
Why it matters: Sorsby is locked out of an NFL roster for the 2026 season with no path other than another professional league, and his attorney is set to file a formal challenge with the NFLPA claiming the denial violates the CBA — turning a gambling-integrity case into a labor dispute with the league over how supplemental applicants are vetted.
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