Big 12 Taking a Wait-and-See Approach on Sorsby Lawsuit Withdrawal

The Big 12 presidents and chancellors have not hurried to withdraw the league’s recently filed federal lawsuit, according to a conference source who spoke to ESPN on Friday evening. The source said questions remain about Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby’s NFL future and possible legal retribution.

Sources stated the Big 12 board of directors is expected to hold a call early next week to discuss next steps. Some within the league have questioned what liability, if any, might exist for the conference or how matters could unfold with the NFL because of Sorsby’s admitted gambling history.

A conference source told ESPN, “We don’t know the answer to those questions. We haven’t done anything different at this point. We’re going to reconvene next week to run through all the options. Right now that case is still active.”

The Big 12 filed a federal lawsuit Monday in the Northern District of Texas. The lawsuit seeks both a declaratory judgment and injunctive relief to allow the league the authority to use its bylaws to potentially punish Sorsby.

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Sorsby has acknowledged violating NCAA rules by betting thousands of times, including 40 instances on Indiana football while he was a member of that roster. He has withdrawn his lawsuit against the NCAA and applied for the NFL supplemental draft.

The quarterback dropped his case against the NCAA because, in order to be eligible for the upcoming supplemental draft, he must be declared ineligible at the college level by Monday. His eligibility status is a necessary step before his name can be considered by the NFL for draft purposes.

The source explained that the NFL must approve Sorsby’s application for a 2026 supplemental draft to occur. If approved, the event would be scheduled for later this summer.

There has not been an NFL supplemental draft since 2023. The most recent player chosen in such an event was safety Jalen Thompson, selected by the Arizona Cardinals with a fifth-round bid in 2019.

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The last quarterback to participate in a supplemental draft was Terrelle Pryor, who entered in 2011 and was taken by the Raiders with a third-round bid. The current process involving Sorsby would require similar approval steps within the league.

A Big 12 athletic director told ESPN that the conference could still pursue some level of punitive response toward Texas Tech. The source clarified that it was not necessarily designed to “punish them,” but discussions have occurred about whether the school should be held responsible for the legal fees arising from the dispute.

Another conference source said, “There may need to be consequences for Texas Tech, even if it works out this way. It was pointed out there’s been legal fees involved in this action. Is it right for all 16 schools to share in those legal fees when we didn’t have anything to do with starting it?”

The issue of fees and financial responsibility among the Big 12’s membership has become part of the larger internal conversation. While no decisions have been announced, several administrators have raised concerns about fairness regarding cost distribution.

The pending discussions next week are expected to address both the active lawsuit and any internal financial considerations. The league has not yet made official any procedural steps to end the legal case.

Conference officials are waiting on developments from both the NFL and legal counsel before determining whether to withdraw or maintain the lawsuit. The Big 12 source emphasized that this evaluation process will continue when leaders reconvene.

Until those questions receive further clarity, the conference’s legal action remains active, and its leadership does not plan to alter the current course before next week’s scheduled call.

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