CFL closes the door on Brendan Sorsby

Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby (2) walks off the field after a NCAA college football game against Baylor, Oct. 25, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Tanner Pearson, file)

Well-travelled quarterback Brendan Sorsby will not have the option of migrating north to the Canadian Football League this season.

League officials confirmed to multiple outlets late Thursday that its nine teams are prohibited from signing Sorsby, who was suspended by the NCAA for placing bets on games and earlier this week was denied entry into the NFL via the supplemental draft.

“Upholding the integrity of the league and ensuring fair competition are paramount to the CFL. The allegations involving Brendan Sorsby are serious and concerning,” the CFL said in a statement Friday.

“At this time, the CFL will not register a contract for him, and no team will be permitted to add him to its negotiation list.”

Sorsby, 22, spent several weeks in a treatment facility for what he said was a gambling addiction. The NCAA declared Sorsby ineligible after an investigation revealed the quarterback allegedly made thousands of bets, including using accounts in other names, at a cost of more than US$90,000 during his college career.

That included making bets on Indiana football during his time with the Hoosiers before transferring to Cincinnati. Last season he threw for 2,800 yards with 27 touchdowns and five interceptions and ran for nine TDs with the Bearcats.

Sorsby left Cincinnati at the end of last season to play for Texas Tech before his off-field issues brought NCAA punishment.

The NFL encouraged Sorsby to focus on preparation for the 2027 NFL Draft.

In its letter to Sorsby this week, the NFL criticized Sorsby for failing to accept “responsibility for your actions” and trying to avoid consequences first through litigation and then by attempting to enter the NFL supplemental draft. The league hasn’t held a supplemental draft since 2023 and denied Sorsby’s application for consideration.

Further litigation is an option for Sorsby, who is represented by former NFLPA attorney Jeffrey Kessler.

He has represented players in multiple high-profile cases against the league and won positive judgments on behalf of the likes of Tom Brady (Deflategate), Jonathan Vilma (and other Saints in the Bountygate case involving then-defensive coordinator Gregg Williams) and arbitration cases on behalf of Michael Vick and Plaxico Burress.