NFL Shuts Door On Brendan Sorsby After Gambling Scandal, Rejects Quarterback's Supplemental Draft Bid

The Cleveland Browns have spent much of the offseason searching for answers at quarterback. What they won't be doing, at least for now, is taking a chance on former Texas Tech signal-caller Brendan Sorsby. The NFL's decision not to hold a supplemental draft effectively closes the door on Sorsby's path into the league this year. It also removes a potential distraction for teams already navigating crowded quarterback rooms, including a Browns franchise still trying to determine whether its future lies with Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, or someone not yet on the roster.

Brendan Sorsby's Gambling Issues Played Major Role In NFL Decision

Questions surrounding Sorsby extended far beyond football talent. The quarterback was ruled ineligible by the NCAA after admitting to placing thousands of bets during his college career, leading to a legal challenge and an attempt to enter the NFL through the supplemental draft process. Sports commentator Terry Pluto believes the league made the correct call. "Look at the two guys (Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders), see if you can find a quarterback there," Pluto said. "Quit looking for someone to drop from the sky and save the franchise. Stop with that."

Court documents reportedly showed Sorsby placed more than $90,000 worth of wagers. According to the Associated Press, some of those bets involved Indiana athletics during his freshman season in 2022, although none were placed on games in which he appeared.

Pluto argued the issue goes beyond a simple rules violation. While discussing details from court filings, he pointed to what he views as evidence of a deeper gambling problem.

"The things in some of the documents that I read, statements made by Sorsby himself, for example, (he) would get triggered by all these apps. They send you all the stuff, the next thing you know, that makes (him) bet," Pluto said. "When he was at Indiana, he said that it allowed him to feel closer to his teammates and like part of the team, because he wasn't dressing for the games, to bet on them. I mean, this is pure gambling excuse-making."

What The NFL's Decision Means For Browns And Sorsby's Future

The ruling arrives as gambling remains one of the league's biggest integrity concerns. Pluto noted that while the NFL profits from partnerships with betting companies, it still has strong reasons to police gambling violations aggressively.

"This is a way for the league to send not only a message to Sorsby, but also to other players who are top prospects, or anybody else in college — that (if) you start getting into this gambling thing, there is a price to be paid," Pluto said.

Pluto says the league's move is the equivalent of a one-year suspension, giving Sorsby time to address issues away from football before any future comeback attempt.

"Then ... I'd have a meeting with him if I were the NFL," Pluto said. "All right, you might need to do these different things ... 35 days in a gambling rehab center in Arizona, whatever that type of treatment is. But most of the time, this is a long process over years and years of trying to stay, in a sense, gambling-sober."

The decision ends any speculation about Sorsby joining the Browns. Pluto said Cleveland was never seriously considering him, with Todd Monken already wary of the situation.