NFL Got It Wrong on Brendan Sorsby

For a league that constantly preaches transparency, fairness, and opportunity, the NFL’s decision to cancel the 2026 Supplemental Draft and deny quarterback Brendan Sorsby a chance to enter it raises serious questions.

According to Sorsby’s attorney, Jeffrey Kessler, the NFL never requested any information beyond the standard application. Yet after Sorsby followed every instruction provided by the league, he was informed that he would not be allowed to participate.

The timeline paints a troubling picture.

In late April, Sorsby’s representatives contacted the NFL to inquire about the Supplemental Draft process. The league’s response was straightforward: submit a short application by June 22. There was no indication that additional documents would be required, no warning that submitting the application close to the deadline could hurt his chances, and no suggestion that further review materials would be necessary.

When Sorsby’s team finally received the application, it was remarkably simple. It requested basic biographical information, answers to four yes-or-no questions, and a brief explanation for why he was seeking entry into the Supplemental Draft. Sorsby completed the application in full and returned it within hours.

Even more notable, his agent proactively reached out to the NFL afterward and specifically asked whether additional information was needed. According to Kessler’s statement, the league declined to request anything further.

If the NFL believed it lacked information, why not ask for it?

Instead, Sorsby’s camp says the league remained silent. Then came the most frustrating part of the process: reports surfaced in the media that the NFL was not planning to hold a Supplemental Draft before Sorsby himself was officially informed. Rather than hearing directly from the league, he learned his football future was being decided through news reports.

That is not how a professional sports league should treat a player who followed every instruction it was given.

The Supplemental Draft exists to provide opportunities for players whose eligibility situations change after the traditional draft process. Whether one believes Sorsby would have been selected is irrelevant. The issue is whether he received a fair evaluation under the league’s own procedures.

Based on Kessler’s account, Sorsby submitted everything the NFL requested. His representatives repeatedly offered to provide more information. The league never asked for it. Yet the NFL ultimately cited a lack of information as a reason for denying entry.

If those facts are accurate, the process appears fundamentally flawed.

The NFL is the most powerful sports league in America. With that power comes a responsibility to provide clear standards and consistent treatment. Players should not be left guessing about requirements, nor should they discover major decisions through media leaks.

Brendan Sorsby did what the league told him to do. If the NFL wanted more information, it had every opportunity to ask for it. By failing to do so and then shutting the door on his Supplemental Draft hopes, the league appears to have denied a player a fair chance to pursue his professional career.

Whether the NFL revisits its decision remains to be seen. But from the outside looking in, it is difficult to escape the conclusion that Brendan Sorsby deserved a better process, and a better opportunity, than the one he received.