What Brendan Sorsby said after gaining eligibility for 2026 season

Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby is "grateful" for being able to rejoin his team after he was granted an injunction that will make him eligible to play for the Red Raiders in the upcoming college football season.

The senior released a statement Monday, June 8 hours after the legal victory.

"I'm very grateful for the endless support I have received throughout this entire process. I am also grateful for the chance to rejoin my teammates," Sorsby said on Instagram." This opportunity comes with the responsibility to remain focused on my personal growth, the ability to learn from this experience and to be able to use my situation to help others going forward."

Sorsby's eligibility for the 2026 season was in question after he stepped away from Texas Tech in April to enter a residential treatment program for his gambling addiction that dated back to his freshman season at Indiana in 2022. He placed over $90,000 worth of bets over four years through accounts registered under his name or the names of family members and friends.

The NCAA prohibits student-athletes and athletic staff members from betting on college or professional sports, and has permanently banned players found guilty of doing so. As a result, the NCAA denied Sorsby's request for reinstatement for the 2026 season on May 26.

Sorsby then sued the NCAA to retain his eligibility, which he retained.

The quarterback will miss the first two games of the season — against Abilene Christian and Oregon State — as a result of the injunction, with Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt adding a "comprehensive support structure, including clinical care, monitoring and compliance checks, will remain fully in place" for Sorsby during his time at Texas Tech.