Future NFL quarterback career in jeopardy after breaking gambling rules on Romanian football and hot dog eating

A future NFL Quarterback with over 82 touchdown contributions at College level has put his NFL career in jeopardy after becoming 'addicted' to gambling.

Brendan Sorsby, currently in the process of moving to Texas Tech and previously representing Indiana Hoosiers and Cincinnati Bearcats, is one of the hottest arms in the American football pipeline.

But while gearing up for his senior year in the Midwest, it was announced that Sorsby was under investigation by the NCAA for participating in sports betting.

And, it wasn't as simple as a quick dollar on the baseball, as the allegations against Sorsby revealed that he was taking punts on everything from Romanian football, Turkish basketball, and the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest.

College-ball Quarterback derails career over hot-dog-eating bets

On May 18, the NCAA investigation into Sorsby's gambling activities revealed that he had placed 'thousands of bets on everything and anything,' except for American football.

Released documents revealed that the young athlete never bet on any University of Cincinnati football games or players in those games during the 2024 or 2025 seasons, and was never involved in releasing on-public information to third parties.

"I never altered my performance based on any bets placed on Cincinnati football games or players in those games," he said in an affidavit.

Instead, his betting was personal and varied, and even included trips to casinos in Oklahoma with friends.

The investigation is to determine whether the athlete placed any bets on competitions that the NCAA hosts or sponsors, with anything such as horse racing gambling not considered to be 'illegal'.

If cleared of any wrongdoing, Sorsby will be able to continue playing ball for Texas Tech in September.

Brendan Sorsby hopes to recover his American football career

While the NCAA investigation is to determine any illegal activity against the sport that Sorsby operates in, the young man has now voluntarily checked himself into a rehabilitation program to overcome his addiction.

"I now realize that I allowed my gambling to get out of control to the point where I needed to seek professional help," Sorsby added in his affidavit.

"I never intended for that to happen, particularly because I grew up in a household guided by the values that we learned and discussed in church every Sunday, and I continue to carry those values with me today."

Sorsby would need to be cleared before June 22 if he wants to compete this year, with the NFL supplemental draft deadline being the cutoff for anyone wanting to be considered in the 2026/27 season. If he failed to be registered, he would be forced to have a year off.

"That gap in competitive football - critical to my continued development and impossible to replicate - would be detrimental to me both personally and professionally," he said.

Experts and scouts predict that Sorsby would be a popular mid-round choice in upcoming NFL drafts if his trajectory continues.

The investigation also includes statements that claim the sport itself encourages betting through sponsorships and naming rights deals, something that the wider sports industry has been combating for years.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline/GamCare on 0808 8020133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.