University of Cincinnati wants $1 million from quarterback who transferred after lucrative NIL deal

CINCINNATI (CN) — College quarterback Brendan Sorsby's transfer from the University of Cincinnati at the end of the 2025 season violated his name, image and likeness contract and makes him liable for $1 million in damages, the school claims in a federal lawsuit.

Sorsby, ranked by ESPN as the number one player available in college football's offseason "transfer portal," committed to play the 2026 season at Texas Tech University after he led the UC Bearcats to a 12-12 record over his two years with the team.

At the start of last season, the quarterback signed an 18-month, two-season NIL deal with Cincinnati, which allowed the university to use him in marketing and promotional materials.

This contract included a $1 million buyout if Sorsby transferred before the 2026 season, a provision triggered when he signed with Texas Tech shortly after he entered the transfer portal on Jan. 2, according to school officials in the suit filed Wednesday.

Reports indicate the quarterback's new deal with Texas Tech will pay him between $4 million and $6 million for a single year.

"Sorsby has benefitted greatly by the NIL agreement he entered into with the university, along with the university's sustained efforts to promote him and help establish him as a top collegiate quarterback. Now, the university seeks to enforce its rights under that same agreement and to recover the amount Sorsby is contractually obligated to pay," UC said in its complaint.

Ron Slavin, agent for Sorsby, called the lawsuit "misguided" and disputed the university's stance on the quarterback's departure.

"University of Cincinnati, through its revenue-share structure, paid Sorsby $875,800 for a season he fully completed and in that time, he generated millions in value for the program. Attempting to recover those funds now sends the wrong message to current and future student-athletes and risks damaging the long-term credibility of Cincinnati football," Slavin said in a statement.

"This is further disappointing given that Brendan parted ways with UC in what was a mutually agreeable manner. The money the university seeks to recover from him is nothing more than an unlawful penalty under Ohio law. Because UC has chosen to pursue this course of action, Brendan will aggressively defend the lawsuit and pursue any and all damages he incurs as a result," Slavin said .

The university says it fostered Sorsby's growth into a "household name," and that his refusal to participate in team activities after the end of the regular season — including the team's postseason appearance in the Liberty Bowl — and his subsequent transfer to Texas Tech requires payment of his contract's liquidated damages provision.

That payment was due within 30 days of his transfer, according to the complaint, which also calls the $1 million buyout "significantly below market value," given the estimate of Sorsby's new NIL deal with Texas Tech.

The University of Cincinnati echoed the sentiments of its lawsuit in a statement.

"Cincinnati Athletics is proud to partner with its student-athletes and honors the contractual commitments it makes to them. We expect student-athletes and their representatives to do the same," the university said.

"Cincinnati Athletics intends to enforce that contractual commitment. As stewards of the university’s resources, the Athletics Department has a duty to do so. We thank Brendan for his time at Cincinnati and wish him success in the future," UC added.

The complaint was filed by attorney David DeVillers of the Columbus-based firm Barnes and Thornburg LLP.

NIL contracts for NCAA athletes were years in the making, but have proliferated since a series of court rulings allowed direct payments from universities to their student-athletes, as well as the passage of California's Fair Play to Pay Act in 2019.

According to the NCAA's own financial statements, it generated over $1.4 billion in revenue for the 2024 fiscal year.

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