There’s a legal clash brewing that really speaks to how wild the world of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) agreements in college sports has gotten. The University of Cincinnati is suing their former quarterback, Brendan Sorsby, claiming he broke his NIL contract by not coughing up a $1 million exit fee after his transfer to Texas Tech.
It’s another chapter in the ongoing chaos of NIL deals, which are now a huge part of college athletics—sometimes more trouble than they’re worth, honestly.
The Lawsuit: Cincinnati vs. Brendan Sorsby
On February 25, 2026, Cincinnati kicked off legal action against Sorsby in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. They say Sorsby refused to pay the $1 million exit fee he agreed to in his NIL deal.
Cincinnati’s lawyers claim Sorsby’s representative flat-out told them he has zero plans to pay up. The university wants $1 million in liquidated damages, which Sorsby was supposed to pay within 30 days of transferring.
They argue his sudden exit hurt the school both financially and on the field.
Sorsby’s NIL Agreement with Cincinnati
Sorsby signed an 18-month NIL contract with Cincinnati, covering the 2025 and 2026 seasons. The deal was supposed to last until December 15, 2026.
He committed to playing two seasons with the Bearcats. Cincinnati says they put a lot of effort and money into promoting Sorsby, building him up as a top college quarterback.
On December 1, 2025, Sorsby told the team he wouldn’t play in their postseason game against Navy in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. He entered the transfer portal on January 2 and quickly landed an NIL deal with Texas Tech, reportedly worth somewhere between $4 million and $6 million for just one season.
Legal and Financial Implications
The lawsuit also points to Sorsby’s image showing up on a Times Square billboard, announcing his move to Texas Tech. Cincinnati says they paid him well for the 2025 season but expected the real payoff in 2026.
The university insists it has to enforce these contracts to protect its resources. They argue Sorsby reaped the benefits of the NIL deal and all the promotion, so paying the $1 million fee is only fair.
Sorsby’s Response
Sorsby’s agent, Ron Slavin of Lift Management, says they’ll fight the lawsuit and called it misguided. Slavin points out Cincinnati paid Sorsby $875,800 for a season he played in full, and that he brought in millions in value for the program.
He argues that going after this money is a bad look for Cincinnati football and could scare off future recruits. Slavin also claims the $1 million fee is an unlawful penalty under Ohio law, since Sorsby left in a way that both sides agreed on.
Precedents in NIL Contract Disputes
Cincinnati’s lawsuit isn’t the only one out there. Other colleges have also gone after former players for breaking NIL deals and transferring.
Georgia vs. Damon Wilson
In December 2025, the University of Georgia sued former edge rusher Damon Wilson for $390,000 in damages after he transferred to Missouri following the 2024 season. Georgia tried to push Wilson into arbitration to settle things.
Wilson fired back with a countersuit in Missouri, saying Georgia used the liquidated damages clause to punish him for entering the transfer portal. After playing one season for the Tigers, Wilson moved on to Miami.
Duke vs. Darian Mensah
On January 20, 2026, Duke sued former quarterback Darian Mensah, hoping to stop him from transferring to Miami and to enforce his multiyear NIL contract. They settled on January 27, and Mensah joined the Hurricanes.
The Future of NIL Agreements
All these lawsuits make it clear: NIL contracts need to be rock solid and fair to both sides. The more common these deals get, the more everyone involved needs to know exactly what they’re signing up for.
Universities have to make sure their contracts can actually hold up if things go south. And student-athletes? They really need to think about the legal and financial fallout before jumping ship to another school.
Conclusion
The lawsuit between Cincinnati and Brendan Sorsby is turning into a pretty notable case. It really shines a light on just how tricky and messy NIL agreements in college sports can get.
Universities and student-athletes are still figuring things out as this whole landscape keeps shifting under their feet. It feels more important than ever for everyone to hammer out contracts that actually make sense and don’t leave anyone hanging.
If you want to dig deeper into the details, you can check out the full article here.
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