UC Sues Ex-QB Sorsby Over $1M NIL Buyout Breach

The University of Cincinnati filed a lawsuit Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio against Brendan Sorsby, its former quarterback, accusing him of breaching a name, image and likeness agreement by transferring to Texas Tech without paying a required $1 million buyout.

The complaint alleges that Sorsby signed the two-season NIL contract in July 2025, which covered the 2025 and 2026 seasons and entitled him to substantial compensation, including $875,800 under the university's revenue-sharing structure for the 2025 season. The agreement included a clause mandating a $1 million payment in liquidated damages within 30 days if Sorsby transferred to another school before the deal's expiration on December 15, 2026. The provision would not apply if he entered the NFL draft. Sorsby entered the transfer portal on December 15 and committed to Texas Tech on January 4, prompting the university to demand the payment. Court documents state that Sorsby's representative informed Cincinnati that he refused to pay.

Sorsby, a Denton, Texas native who began his career at Indiana before transferring to Cincinnati, had a strong 2025 season for the Bearcats. He passed...