Former University of Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby is facing a pivotal moment in his young football career—and a 72-year-old legal powerhouse may hold the key to his future on the gridiron.
Jeffrey Kessler, a titan in sports law, has confirmed to The Enquirer and Cincinnati.com that he is now representing Sorsby. This news comes after the 22-year-old signal-caller made headlines for leaving Cincinnati for Texas Tech in a reported $5 million deal.
Just weeks ago, Sorsby looked like he was on top of the world. He threw four touchdown passes in Texas Tech's spring game on April 17 and hosted a kids' football camp in Lubbock on April 25. But on April 27, he checked into a residential facility for gambling addiction treatment—a sudden turn that has sent shockwaves through the college football community.
The move came on the heels of reports that Sorsby had gambled on Indiana University football games during his freshman year in 2022. He is also alleged to have bet on balls and strikes at Cincinnati Reds games through a gambling app—activity that would typically be flagged by the ProhiBet app required on Big 12 student-athlete phones.
A source within the UC Athletics program told The Enquirer, "No one inside the UC Athletics Department was aware of any illegal gambling. The University would not knowingly play an athlete involved in illegal gambling."
Enter Kessler, co-executive chairman of the New York firm Winston & Strawn. USA Today named him one of the 25 Most Powerful People in College Sports last August, and Sports Business Journal has repeatedly ranked him among the 50 Most Influential in Sports Business—including in 2024 and as one of the most influential figures of the last 25 years. In September 2024, Sports Illustrated placed him on their Power List of the Top 50 most influential people in sports.
Kessler is perhaps best known as the lead attorney who secured $2.8 billion in damages from the NCAA and FBS conferences, paving the way for the revenue-sharing model that began July 1, 2024. That landmark ruling now requires schools like Cincinnati to share $20.5 million per season with student-athletes—with some programs already exceeding that figure to stay competitive.
For Sorsby, having Kessler in his corner is a major play. But whether this legal all-star can keep his football career alive remains the biggest question of the offseason.